


Prongslets Den

by KittyonCRACK, Spottedleafpaw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gay Male Character, M/M, Male Slash, Slash, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:26:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1706405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyonCRACK/pseuds/KittyonCRACK, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spottedleafpaw/pseuds/Spottedleafpaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has moved to New York, started up his own cafe, and somehow befriended the famed Tony Stark and gained the attention of another Avenger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Prongslet’s Den

Steve Rogers just wanted some good, old fashioned English tea. He had never enjoyed the coffee Bucky would always brew but during his time overseas he developed a taste for properly brewed English tea. Yes, Bruce had a rather large stash of tea but they were all very exotic and usually originated from India or Mongolia. He had tried to pick up some classics such as Earl Grey but he could not brew it correctly and have it come out the way he remembered.

He was starting to become easily agitated with every failure to the point that everyone started to avoid him when the tea kettle came out. This continued on for several weeks until Steve did something unforgivable. He slammed into Tony’s shoulder and was going to continue on his way until he heard a large crash and turned to see coffee on the ground with a broken gadget Tony had holed himself up in the workshop for the past 52 hours to make for Natasha. Tony lost it, not because he lost his work, he could always have JARVIS re-build it for him, but it was the first hot cup of coffee Tony had in over seven hours and Pepper had picked it up for him. He hadn’t even had a sip of the nectar of life before the incident occurred.

Tony slowly looked up from the dark liquid that was splashed across the floor and then at the cup and lid that had once contained it, empty but covered in the dark stain. “We are going out Captain Pissy-Pants and don’t you dare say a damned thing unless you want me to tell Natasha the reason her Widow’s Bite is broken is your fault.”

Tony pulled Steve along, not stopping until they were in his car garage, standing in front of some classic car Steve didn’t know the name of. Tony opened the passenger door and pointed at it, indicating to Steve to get in, sit down, and shut up. The door was slammed once he was seated and it made Steve wince, yes he had been angry but that was no reason to ruin Tony’s day and not even apologize for it.

Steve was jerked from his thoughts when Tony came to an abrupt halt at a plain looking brick building café labeled ‘Prongslet’s Den’. “Get out.” Tony said curtly as he stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut all the while glaring at Steve.

Steve sighed as he got out and followed Tony into the café; he was pleasantly surprised by the smooth jazz playing through the speakers and the cozy space. It was filled with old wooden tables that were painted silver, gold, bronze and black. They were all paired with wooden chairs that went anywhere from a basic lawn chair to a full-on wingback armchair depending on the table and location-the more basic chairs were in the front of the store near the windows while the armchairs where along the back wall close to a good old-fashioned fire place against a yellow with black trim wall. 

It was a pleasant change from the popular, upbeat and modern coffee shop chain that had taken over with a green mermaid of all things for a logo-what was it? Starshine? Starburst? Close enough; what did a green mermaid have to do with coffee anyway? It was just a nice change because rather than being impersonal and modern like most joints this was warm and welcoming with a nice dose of old fashioned and not a place he could see the futuristic man of Tony Stark to visit regularly.

The scent of fresh baked goods, meats, coffees, and tea overpowered Steve’s senses. The same coffee he had spilled of Tony’s was the most prominent-he could tell due to his heightened sense of smell and taste thanks to the serum, and if he had any doubts it was reinforced when Tony made a beeline to the counter with a young man behind.

The boy or man, for he was at the stage when his actions would speak more than his age was even shorter than Tony’s 5’9” frame with wild, untamed hair that almost made up the height difference greeted Tony with a familiar crooked grin and large, emerald doe eyes sparkling in mirth behind wire square rimmed glasses, “Tony, has your coffee addiction grown? Pepper left here less than thirty minutes ago with your usual order minus the muffin.”

“I know, I was mad about the muffin, but then Captain My-Spandex-is-Too-Tight-and-Giving-Me-a-Wedgie spilt it before I got a sip so please Harry! I’m desperate!”

“Yes, the oil stains on your face and clothes, not to mention the mad scientist hair did not clue me in, now I see it,” The man, Harry, mocked with an English and Scottish mixed accent as he shoved a large blue mug and a still steaming blueberry muffin to Tony, “and what would Captain My-Spandex-is-Too-Tight-and-Giving-Me-a-Wedgie like?” He asked with a teasing grin and wink towards Steve.

“Some of your English tea,” Tony moaned, “he has been trying to make some old fashioned English tea and has been whining about it so much and getting into pissy moods; it’s why he spilt my coffee!” He grouched.

“What can I say? We Englishmen know how to make proper tea.” Harry laughed as he fixed a cup for Steve and handed it to him before ushering the two Avengers to the back of the café where there were several couches that Steve previously hadn’t noticed paired with the armchairs. They were all mismatched in blues, greens, yellows, and reds but that’s what made the consistency go so well and gave the place a homey feel of comfort rather than the stiff, uniformed, and cold environment most places had.  
Steve sat in an armchair across from Tony who claimed a couch while Harry perched himself on the arm of the couch closest to Tony with his own cup of tea. Steve tentatively took a sip, not wanting to hurt Harry’s feelings or tick off Tony even further with his usual reaction to improper tea… but it was perfect, and he went to take another sip and nearly choked. Tony being, well, Tony had snaked an arm around Harry’s waist and pulled him into his lap, “Green eyes, this is the best coffee I’ve ever had, can I just keep you in the tower or move your café into it? When will you be mine and my pillow?”

Harry smirked as he leaned closer to Tony’s ear the way a lover would, “When we can have a snowball fight in Hell vs. a tutu wearing Satan.” Harry hopped off his lap while grinning, “Plus, what would our dear Pepper say?”

“She would probably want to watch or join; she won’t admit it but she is an ass woman and loves yours…and your eyes.” Tony said as he shoved his muffin into his mouth, passing Harry his empty coffee cup, “Marry me, that way your muffins are all mine.”

“No.”

“Why?” Tony pouted.

“You’re not my type.” Harry said falling onto the couch after handing Tony his filled coffee and collapsing on the couch next to Tony, stretching himself out like a cat, back arching and joints popping.

“Don’t you have customers?” Tony asked, mock offended at his rejection.

“I’m closed Tony, it’s after one.”

“I thought that was only on Sunday.”

“It is Sunday.” Harry deadpanned as he finished his tea and stood up, heading to the front and ducking through a door that lead into the kitchen. He reappeared within a few minutes bringing out a tray with plates of sandwiches and fruit with bowls of soup. 

Tony looked down as his plate was sat in front of him, “Harry, I love you.”

The Brit rolled his eyes as he sat another cup of tea down with Steve’s plate, “Yes, I know you love my tenderloin sandwich Tony.”

“No, I don’t just love your sandwich…I love your tomato bisque too.” Tony said with a wink after swallowing a sip of the red soup. “Eat up Steve, Harry’s food is better than anything else you’ve ever had and will ever eat. Oh! Steve Rogers, meet Harry Potter, Harry, meet Captain Tightass.”

Steve frowned at Tony’s introduction but after polite hellos he had to agree it smelled and looked better than anything he had eaten in a long time so he took a bite. Flavors exploded on his tongue, the perfectly seasoned tenderloin went perfectly with the still melted cheese and fresh tomatoes. It was an assault on his taste buds. "It is wonderful, thank you Harry. However, I can't help but wonder how did you two meet? This doesn't seem like your type of place Tony so I'm assuming it was Pepper's doing?"

It was Harry who answered, "Tony came stumbling into my cafe after closing one night, pissed out of his mind, demanding more liquor but I gave him coffee." Harry grinned fondly remembering Tony's drunken rant on how alcohol was what he needed and not some second-rate shop's coffee.

"The best damn coffee I've ever had! So I demanded-"

"More like begged actually." Harry interjected.

"for more and eventually fell asleep at the bar."

"and I lugged his arse up the stairs to my bed-"

"and the next morning I woke up smelling coffee and bacon with the beautiful view of Harry's arse." Tony grinned lecherously.

“He couldn't remember the cafe and thought I was some chit he had bedded." Harry sniffed in mock disgust.  
“Hey, your hair, ass, and androgynous features are not my fault and speaking of that when did you cut your hair?"

“Last week, I donated it to Andy, she's going through chemotherapy again." Harry explained quietly.

Tony's face became somber, "How's Teddy?"

"He's coming to stay actually, later today he's being dropped off at five by Luna."

Tony leapt to his feet, "You two are staying with me at the Tower. I haven't seen Teddy in ages and I know Pepper messages you and I would love to have you cook for us. I'll pay you and you can't claim it’s charity since you're well off so pack your bags! I’ll take you and Teddy home with Captain Tea-Time; I know your floor is done.

Harry groaned and shook his head, "Very well."

Tony grinned, "Finally, real food! I like takeout and all but Harry’s cooking is so much better!"

Harry rolled his eyes fondly and Steve was struck by how very domestic it was. Steve had never seen Tony act so, well, normal. Tony was acting like a family with this man and it was the side Steve, when he had first heard of Tony, had expected Tony to act like and how they would have been able to bond through Howard's memory. That's not exactly what happened though. Tony had come in flashy with some horrendous music playing and would just not shut up or stop being an ass. He prattled on and on with references Steve didn't know. He was being obnoxiously loud and flashy and then challenging Steve front of everyone about everything. Steve didn't like it and lashed out right back at him; it has caused tension between everyone on the team so how the heck was someone like Harry friends with Tony?

The question must have shown on his face because when Harry went upstairs through a silver door on a green wall to get his packing ready after making Tony promise not to tamper with any kitchen equipment and mentioned something about a horny oven terrifying his customers Tony turned to him and cocked a brow, “Be careful super soldier, thinking is a danger when you do it.” He snarked as he entered the golden entryway on the red wall into the kitchen.

“How in the world did you two become friends Stark? That story doesn’t explain how you two grew so close.”

Tony came to a halt at the blue wall with bronze trim that held the kitchen appliances and a plate of fresh cookies that were still warm and gooey which he snatched several of and walked over to the register, entering in the cookies and with the ding and draw opening put in a $50 bill. For a moment Steve thought Tony wouldn’t answer him when Tony turned to Steve with a serious face; the face he had worn after he found out of Coulson’s death.

“I liked the coffee,” Tony said flippantly but with no emotion on his face, “also we found out we had experienced similar situations in some areas after I came in drunk several times a month here over the course of a year and we would talk. One night I came in sober and that was it.” Tony left it at that as he and Cap sat back down waiting for Harry since it was 4:30 when Harry went up. 

While they were waiting Tony thought back on his childhood-there was a reason he loved Christmas again. He had used to hate it. The first time Howard had struck him was when he was drunk one Christmas when Tony was six and had built Howard an engine. It was his very first engine and he wanted his father proud but after Howard was late than harassed by a drunk Maria to open it so Howard had downed some whiskey before opening it and started yelling at Tony about how it could be better before Tony’s crying became too loud and irked his father, causing him to strike out. Howard had only realized he had done it when skin hit skin but the damage was done-Tony never purposely sought out his father’s attention again. Sure there was the wish his dad would have commented on his inventions like when he built Dum-E or even come to his graduation but it was always Obie. Then, right after his graduation from MIT on Christmas day Howard and Maria died in a car accident, leaving everything that Howard had worked on, had ignored him for. Then Tony found out Obie had been planning to kill Tony on Christmas since he spent close to a million dollars from Stark industries to give to Military families who had lost someone.

Harry hated Halloween-it was the day his parents were murdered and when he was put into his abusive relatives’ home. The day year after year he was denied to have candy and play and was always on the receiving end of the tricks from his cousin until he was eleven and could have had a good life had it not been for the mad man who was after him all because of some stupid prophecy until it ended when he was seventeen. Oh, Harry had shared his secrets after one year, when Harry was adamant Tony should celebrate Christmas with him and Teddy after learning of his dislike for the holiday and Tony did a background search to see if he could find Harry the perfect present and it came up with nothing until 1 ½ to 11 and then again 17 to currently when Harry rejoined the muggle world. He didn’t like Halloween until Teddy and Tony begged him to go trick-or-treating while dressed up, he was nervous at first but as the night went on he genuinely had a good time seeing Tony dressed as Jafar and Teddy as Abu with Harry being Aladdin. The next year Harry and Tony dressed as Mario and Luigi making Teddy Toadstool after Tony got the two addicted to Mario Cart

With Harry sharing his life story Tony shared his and they traded stories of Afghanistan and Yinsen, then Harry’s experience at Malfoy Manor and losing so many like Cedric, Dumbledore, Snape and so many more. They had become rather close so for that Christmas Tony created a fill in story for Harry and also bought him many brand new appliances for the kitchen and tinkered with them, somehow managing to make the oven a female AI who was linked to way too many drama shows online, creating the horny oven. Not the worst thing Tony had gotten him, but still creepy as hell when talking about buns and yeast in the wrong kind of ways.

While Tony was stuck in the past the man from the past long before that was contemplating the present. Maybe Tony was a very different person than what he had thought; he already died once for the world, and now he had a friend who he seemed closer to than Pepper.

It was then that the black door on the yellow wall that lead out to the corner of the ally opened and a wild six year old boy dressed in bright colors with equally bright blue hair barreled right into Tony screeching “Uncle Tony!” and surprising Steve while Tony smiled as he reached down and picked up Teddy; Tony was very fond of the inquisitive ball of energy. Tony had met Teddy four years ago and the little boy instantly had him, Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey wrapped around his little finger. He even got Tony out of board meetings and Pepper of all people to take a day off! 

“Hello Teddy, where’s Auntie Luna?” 

“Here!” A tired but chipper voice spoke as a very beautiful, very blonde, very pregnant woman stepped in carrying a small back pack.

“Just you today then, no Neville?” Tony asked as Steve hurried to help her by taking the bag and pulling out a chair for her.

Luna let out a little huff, “It’s his last day of work before he has time off for the babies, they’re due next month. Where’s Harry?”

“Here! Thank you so much Luna, are you alright? Can I get you anything?” Harry asked.

“What was the last thing you baked?” She asked with a sigh as she sat.

Harry grinned, “Some chocolate chip biscuits that Tony just bought some of. How are they Tony?” Harry asked as the little ball of energy screeched an ‘Uncle Harry’ with a greeted ‘Cub’ before throwing himself into the young man’s arms with a giggle.

“They were divine.” Tony moaned as he realized he had been caught and passed over a cookie to Luna before going to retrieve the plate.

“And what is your name good sir?” Luna asked with a smile.

“Steve Rogers ma’am.” Steve held out his hand and Luna shook it daintily.

“Luna Longbottom, it’s a pleasure to meet you Captain America.”

Steve was shocked that she knew his alias, “My grandfather was one of the men you saved from Hydra-He was British Military Intelligence from my mother’s side of the family and he always told me about the man dressed in the American flag when he was still alive.”

Steve smiled a sad smile at her, just one more person connected to his past who was dead and long gone. Tony interrupted the moment by shoving a cookie into Steve’s mouth and passing another to Luna before making an airplane out of one and having it land into Teddy’s awaiting mouth.

Steve was struck again by how domestic it was with Tony acting as an older brother for Harry and Teddy being the spoilt nephew. He was dragged out of his observation by Luna making a gesturing motion for Steve to help her up and once she got on her feet went over to give Teddy, Tony, and Harry kisses on their cheeks before saying an apologetic goodbye with mentions of meeting her husband at the Uni to see the gardens before giving Steve his own kiss on the cheek, making him blush a bright red and went out with the waiting car that was next to Tony’s and with a final wave left.

Harry approached Steve with a suddenly shy Teddy who was peeking out from his position on Harry’s chest, “Cub, this is Mr. Steve Rogers, can you guess who else he is?” At Teddy’s head shaking Harry smiled broadened, “This is Captain America.”

The six year olds eyes went wide and he looked from Harry to Teddy and back to Harry before wiggling to be let down. He ran to the backpack Steve had set next to Harry’s bags previously and opened it, pulling out Captain America and Iron Man plush dolls. He ran over and held up his Cap toy with wide shinning eyes that made Steve’s heart melt and take it before Teddy held up his Iron Man doll with the glowing chest that was no doubt Tony’s doing and showed the signature on the dolls foot with a shy smile. Steve looked for a pen and Tony pulled a Sharpie from his jacket pocket that was for fan made emergencies such as this and Steve signed the toy, handing it back to Teddy carefully. Teddy looked at mini cap before looking at the larger than life version and squeaking a “Thank you!” before scrambling to Harry to show him and tell him all about Cap signing it and how nice it was in a mile a minute babble.

Harry and Tony laughed at his antics before telling him he was going to be living with all the Avengers for a while, making the boy more excited and run over to Steve who couldn’t help but pick him up, listening to the rest of Teddy’s chatter all the way back to the tower.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope this clears up the whole “Is it a Harry/Tony or Harry/Steve story?” questions and hope filled inquiries.

The Tower 

At the Tower Tony pressed the button to the top floor which, although it was his tower and his suite, seemed to unanimously be the unspoken common ‘Avengers’ area; he watched how Harry and Steve talked without hesitation, even with Steve’s incessant politeness. It was more than likely due to Steve’s natural ease with Teddy, as once you finally got him to speak it was near impossible to keep him quiet for more than a breath of air, and even then the great inhale he took was that of a drowning man getting his last breath and a very audible one.

Eventually, while the four were chatting with Teddy asking “Cappy” and “Uncle Tony” questions about the superhero lifestyle with Harry’s occasional scolding of “Wait your turn to talk cub”, the elevator reached its destination and Teddy went flying out as soon as the doors opened and instantly froze at a yelled warning. Harry bolted out of the elevator with Tony and Steve close behind and there was Clint and Natasha, the spy kids, in the living room pointing their guns instinctively at what had startled them with looks of shock on their faces at seeing the tiny boy with bright blue hair burst into tears of fright with an unknown man, Tony, and Steve rushing to stand in front of them with the unknown and Tony looking pissed off and Steve with a mixture of that and shock that the two would pull their guns on a six year old.

“What the bloody hell do you think you two are doing to my son?” Harry demanded, voice icy. “Who in their right mind pulls a gun on a six year old boy?”

Natasha and Clint glanced at Cap, taking his nod as a sign it was safe to move their guns off the unknown who they had moved it to when he had appeared; and Clint, for lack of other words, freaked, “I am so sorry guys! If we had known it was a kid we wouldn’t have reacted that way!” while Harry knelt down to pull a sobbing Teddy into a hug, sending a glare that made Natasha’s look like that of an upset kitten.

“Guys, I know I said that you all are welcome to my floor but from here on out weapons are banned and don’t try to pull shi---shenanigans because Teddy and Harry are staying here for the time being on my floor and I own this place; my place, my rules, especially when it’s protecting my guests and not you parasites!”

Harry and Tony took Teddy to the couch to sit and calm him down from the shock and fright of the two superhero’s while Steve lectured them on proper in house protocols. The two were now even below the comic book hero AquaMan in awesome levels in Teddy’s mind; they were downright mean!

Finally Steve lead over the other too, “Apologize to Teddy... Hawkeye, Black Widow.”

“I’m sorry Teddy, I didn’t mean to be so, well, mean.” Clint said sadly, making Teddy peek out from behind Harry’s shirt.

“I’m sorry too Teddy,” Natasha said softly with a different face than what Tony and the rest usually saw, “it’s just that we have to protect the Tower from bad guys or else nice people may get hurt.”

Teddy looked at the two before turning to stare at Natasha, eyebrows furrowed as though he was thinking very heard until he suddenly shouted, “I know!” while lifting his arms, “You look like Grandma Lily’s picture, doesn’t she Uncle Harry? Like the picture of her and Grandpa with you when you were a baby!”

Harry fished his wallet out from behind his back, making the assassins tense slightly until they saw what it was. He opened it and pulled out a worn photo holding it so that Teddy, Tony, and all could see. “Hot dam---dame. Natasha! We need to meet this woman, she looks exactly like you, don’t you want to know what you would look like in thirty years?”

“Sorry, but no one knows what my mom would look like now. She and my dad died when I was a baby in a car wreck and this was the last picture taken of the two of them.” Harry said with a shrug and half smile.

“He had to go live with mean people! But I’m happy, I get to live with Harry and start calling him Papa more because he will be soon!” Teddy said with large smile as he messily kissed Harry on the cheek with a hug that was the equivalent of a death grip.

“Oh, are your mom and dad working?”

“Yep!” Teddy smiled, “They died in a bomb and now they’re my guardian angels! That’s what Papa said.”

Natasha felt her chest clinch and heart stutter; these two poor boys, Harry couldn’t be more than twenty and already taking on a six year old, and when she voiced her opinion she was shocked at the response.

“Actually, I’m about to be twenty-four and since I can already provide more than adequately for myself and Teddy I shall be officially adopting him come this weekend.” He said shrugging, once again shocking the two assassins.

“He runs a café about two blocks over called Prongslet’s Den but he and Teddy are staying here while Grandma Andy is getting medicine, right Teddy?”

“Right! She has tumor on her bones up and down her back, she can’t walk anymore and play chase.” Teddy said a little sadly as he looked up at Harry to make sure he said tumor correctly.

Harry nodded petting Teddy’s hair, “Now I think it is time for dinner, Tony, what do you suggest?”

“Can you make me your tenderloin with béarnaise sauce and a salad please? Oh! Also some, hmm, Teddy, how about you pick dessert tonight?”

“Chocolate Lava Cake!” Teddy started jumping up and down excitedly, forgetting the scare that Clint and Natasha gave him, got up and started running literal circles around them. 

“Teddy, slow down, come on-Jarvis, can you please send up Dum-E? Tell him his buddy is here.” Harry asked.

Natasha and Clint stared at Harry, wondering exactly how long he and Stark had been friends since SHIELD had mentioned nothing under acquaintances about this brunette.

“How long have you two…?” Clint asked awkwardly, he didn’t know Stark was gay!

“Been friends? About four years now give or take, Stark came into my Café on opening day after I had already closed. We’ve been close ever since.”

“I meant doing the nasty.” Clint deadpanned.

“Oh, OH! Yuck, nope, not going to happen. Tony’s like a brother to me and he’s not my type. Male, yes, he passes that requirement but everything else reminds me of my best friend who is a girl!” Harry said with a shudder as the mental image of Stark and him doing the nasty at all was going to make him sick physically to the point of mental illness, demonstrated by his “OH!” of horrified exclamation.

Stark, all the while was laughing until he heard the comparison, “Wait a minute, I am not like the Shakespeare’s queen.”

“Yes you are,” said Harry, going into the kitchen as Teddy and Dum-E followed excitedly behind, playing catch with a magnetic tennis ball so that dummy couldn’t lose it but also wouldn’t mess with his near archaic programming, all the while Natasha and Clint watching them until making a call.

-ProngsletProngsletProngsletProngsletProngsletProngslet-

Finally dinner was ready and Tony had disappeared to get his science bro out of the lab and tell him about their guest while Harry set up the table, watching as Teddy and Dum-E were entranced by Clint’s magic show he was putting on for them, learning several tricks from his circus days with Natasha acting as his assistant for Teddy’s amusement and begging, not Clint’s begging.

Harry was about to bring out the salad when the elevator opened and he turned with a smile until he saw who it was, “What the ever-loving hell are you doing here Fury?” he asked while crossing his arms with a slight glare as Teddy yelled “Swear Jar!”

Fury nodded to Harry, “Just wondering if we can talk during dinner.”

“If this is for me joining your superhero club count me out. I have a family that depends on me Fury; I am not going to go out, doing my whole ‘saving people’ thing. I am not going to put myself in a position that I can die in with Teddy under my care. I started a Café instead of being a doctor or in the service because I wanted to get away from death at least every now and then.”

Natasha and Clint eyed Harry warily; true, he had told his reason for not joining but anyone SHIELD wanted was powerful. What worried them about Harry was that he was an unknown and that made him unpredictable naturally and a danger to them, whether he wanted to hurt them or not, they couldn’t trust him. Captain was too trusting and Tony had a habit of the people he trusted ripping out his heart, literally and figuratively.

Fury just sat down at the head of the table when Tony came in, dragging Bruce behind him, babbling in the language of science when he saw Fury and frowned, “This section of the tower is for Avengers and the occasional guest with a maximum of two guests at a time, since Harry and Teddy are here, you must pass go and you may not collect $200. Now! Harry Potter, Bruce Banner. Teddy Lupin, meet the Hulk’s alter ego, aka his human self.”

Teddy finally looked away from Dum-E - causing the ball to go flying pass him and hit the wall-as he stared at Bruce with wide amber doe eyes, framed by his blue hair, before scurrying over to his backpack and opening the pocket that held the plush Captain America and Iron Man, pulling those two out before carefully bringing out a slightly larger Hulk plushy and running back to Bruce who was watching the small boy in shock as he quietly asked for the Hulk’s autograph as he held up the doll with a chibi Hulk face that, even though angry, still looked cute enough to hug.

Bruce took the doll carefully and Tony pulled out the same Sharpie he had offered the stammering Steve when he had signed the Cap doll. Bruce lowered himself to the ground before sitting Indian style as he gently held the doll with one hand he held the Sharpie and pushed on his glasses with the other to insure his handwriting was legible after being cramped from taking constant notes in the lab all day. At first the motion had made the assassins flinch to see a kid so small next to a potential giant green rage monster before relaxing, seeing how the worry lines seemed shallower around the man’s face and the hint of tension that always seemed to be present in his shoulders disappeared.

Teddy watched in awe as he got a second toy of his signed that day and reverently took the toy from Bruce’s hand before darting off and grabbing his two other dolls and proudly showed them to Bruce, telling him about Uncle Harry making him three out of the six plush toys of the Avengers and was currently working on a Thor and then Loki so he could have a bad guy for them to fight, explaining very seriously that after all of them were done he was going to have a great battle and asked Bruce to help him plan it because Tony had already said yes; now that he had met everyone but Thor, the always gone God, he could have the Avengers be the Avengers and have the plushy them save a plushy him or the real him.

Harry and Tony all the while alternated between smiling at Teddy and Bruce and arguing with Fury about Harry working for SHIELD until Harry finally got the director to agree the consultations would be over the phone and the rare helping hand for only when there was an actual army attacking the world that was of alien nature and not attacks by things such as Victor von Doom’s crappy Doom-bot invasions; the Avengers always had to cover the Fantastic Four’s butt because of them having personal issues or smaller battles that if the villain won wouldn’t have that large of an impact on the world and that SHIELD could nip in the bud without issues.

Finally, Steve suggested they actually eat before Harry’s cooking goes cold and Fury left after filching a piece of cake and disappearing with a swirl of his coat before the group sat for the best dinner they had eaten since their stay in the tower.


	3. The Crepes

The Crepes

The next morning at 6:30, after Steve’s run, Clint and Natasha’s sparring, and Bruce and Tony’s leaving the lab due to Jarvis’ relaying Harry’s threat of entering the lab and making them leave by practically ripping their ears off, everyone was greeted by a heavenly smell of fresh fruit, caramel, whipping crème, crepes, and beverages such as coffee, tea, orange and pomegranate juice with little Teddy packing it away near as quickly as his father could set a crepe in front of him.

“Coffee.” Tony moaned as he shuffled over to the machine, taking the pot for 12 cups and downing at least three cups worth before coming up for air and taking the pot with him to the head of the table next to Teddy, “Morning Hare bear, morning Teddy bear.” 

“Good morning!” Teddy grinned as his food flew halfway across the table.

“Teddy, how do we talk?” Harry asked as he wiped up the mess Teddy had made.

Teddy looked thoughtful until his eyes widened and he hurried his chewing before swallowing, “No talking with mouth full. I’m sorry Uncle Tony.” Tony absentmindedly ruffled Teddy’s hair while he drank from the Stark Industries pot as if to say it was all good.

Steve, with his hair still wet from his morning shower sniffed around until he found his Earl Grey, which was next to Bruce’s Turkish apple tea while Natasha took pomegranate and Clint grabbed the orange juice greedily, then all finding a spot at the table as they said “Good morning.” 

Harry started moving the food over, making Steve leap up and eagerly helping with the fruit tray-his days in the army made him appreciate fresh food more than anyone knew-and passed them out with a quiet thank you from Harry as he passed out the crepes until finally taking a seat next to Tony. They were all about to eat when the elevator dinged open and Fury stepped out, sitting next to Natasha and taking a crepe off of an annoyed Clint’s plate while he and Harry had a staring contest.

“Really Nicholas, no ‘please’?” Harry asked dryly as he gave a grateful Hawkeye another crepe, “What are you here about?”

“I figured since you will be living with my team they all should know your…abilities, not just Stark, that way Teddy won’t have to worry about slip-ups or taking his medicine. Also, Andromeda Tonks will be released from the hospital in three days and be able to stay at home as long as the right machinery is present for monitoring.” Fury stated as he lifted the crepe to his mouth, only to pause at Harry’s next question.

“And what do we have to pay for that besides telling these people about myself? I’ve already agreed to becoming a consultant for you.”

“You have to train them in case of any second generation Death Eaters attack.”

Harry stared at Fury before taking a thoughtful bite of his strawberry crepe and chewing slowly as he mulled it over, “How much activity has there been?”

“More than we would care to admit. They were still deeply engrained in the Ministry at the end of the war and have slowly been taking over; they have Marcus Flint as the Minister for your kind in Britain now as of late last night. SHIELD has decided that the Avengers should be prepared should worse come to worse, which is a strong possibility.”

Harry looked up sharply, “What about Kingsley?”

Fury frowned, “He got out in time but was wounded; now he’s in hiding.”

Harry nodded, “All right then,” he stood up and turned to the rest of the Avengers, “What is about to be divulged to you is probably the most top secret information you lot will ever come to know- Tony, since you already know what I am about to divulge you do not need to participate in the oath- so I want you all to swear you will not tell anyone unless it is necessary, say you swear.”

All but Tony glanced at each other, each wondering what the hell Stark knew before they did? It was more than likely technology based, why else would Stark know? “We swear.” They spoke in unison, causing a gold light to shoot out from their hands and intertwine and eventually sink into Harry’s palms and instantly the Avengers who were newly privy to whatever information that was about to be given to them were on edge.

“What are you?” It was Natasha who spoke first, with her cold and calm voice used for calculating a target’s move while on mission.

“I am a wizard,” Harry said simply, smiling as he moved to wipe Teddy’s mouth, “as is Teddy, but he’s a metamorphmagus as well, meaning he can change his appearance.” He said fondly, waving his hand to remove the glamor from Teddy’s hair which, instead of staying the blue that was his “favoritest color”, as the Avengers learned last night at dinner when Bruce asked about it, started turning a multitude of colors by going in order of the rainbow until finally circling around and back to blue.

“What planet are you from? This isn’t like Dr. Strange and his magic, you’re something else entirely.”

Harry laughed, “We are very much human-it’s been debated in the magical world by those who actually pay attention to the Muggle world, or your world rather, if what you call Mutants are actually decedents of squibs (those born into a magical family with no magic) with erratic magic showing up and focused in only one or two forms. We’ve been on this earth since the beginning of time, but magic never really developed until Merlin and Morgana le Fey.” Harry pulled out his wand, “It’s because they found ways to channel the magic with either staffs or wands, but let us jump ahead to the 1920’s and on.

“First of all, muggles are non-magic folk, muggle-borns are witches and wizards with only muggle parents, half-bloods are either half muggle and half pureblood or half muggle-born and half pureblood, and purebloods were from only magical parents. At the time of Kaiser Wilhelm II, than later with Hitler and Johann Schmidt there was a much greater force working behind the scenes; a wizard by the name of Gellert Grindelwald.” Harry frowned, “He viewed muggles as slaves to do his bidding and he cursed many that were the head of the Nazi regime to do his bidding, true these men were already drunk with the thought of power and total control but he used the Imperio curse, which has the same effects as Loki’s staff that he had received from Thanos. Grindelwald already had an army of wizards but with the muggle armies and the revolutions in technology for war he had armies of muggles to do his bidding too but not only used them to attack the magical community that shunned his beliefs but to also eradicate the muggles down to a small enough size to easily control as slaves and, eventually wipe them out.”

“Grindelwald was defeated though, by his former lover Albus Dumbledore, making Dumbledore the greatest wizard of all time. However, most thought Grindelwald killed but Dumbledore still loved him and merely imprisoned him, which was later a grave mistake. Sooner rather than later, another dark wizard rose to power. He had gone to the very school Dumbledore was teaching at and later became headmaster of. Dumbledore was even the one who informed him of his heritage and skill as a wizard because orphaned Tom Marvolo Riddle knew he was different and powerful, but not how powerful, and as the last descendant of one of the greatest wizards of the past who built Hogwarts School for those with pure wizard blood.”

“Later on, Riddle made a name for himself amongst his followers called the Death Eaters, not only as a cunning and more than slightly dangerous being but an actual name, using the letters of his muggle father’s name to that of the phrase “I am Lord Voldemort”, Voldemort of course being French for ‘Flight of Death’ for he wanted to live forever, so much so that he started to split his soul into eight pieces, keeping one in his own body before scattering the other seven for emergency uses, concealing them inside items of three of the four founders of Hogwarts: a locket, diadem, and cup. His others were in his pet snake, a diary he kept the first year he murdered, and a family ring and which held what is known as the Resurrection stone.”

“The Resurrection stone is from a tale of the three Peverell brothers cheating death by creating a bridge to cross a river which previously all who attempted to cross had lost their life to Death. Death appeared, angered but instead complimented them for getting past and offered them each a prize they desired. The eldest boy was cocky enough to ask Death for an undefeatable wand and death pulled a stick from and Elder tree with hair of his own Thestral as its core. The middle brother wished to outdo his elder brother and shame Death even more by asking for the power to bring back the dead. The youngest and most humbled asked for a cloak of invisibility that could not wane and could not be seen by even Death itself so Death handed over his own cloak of invisibility. The first brother went about dueling those who he disliked or owed money to, bragging about the power of the wand fell into a drunken coma and had his throat cut, thus the wand had a new master and Death claimed his first victim. The second brother went home and brought his recently deceased fiancé back from the dead but she was not of this world or meant to be in it; so overcome with grief and guilt he hung himself to join his beloved in the afterlife and so Death claimed his second victim. Death then looked far and wide for the third brother but could not find him. The youngest lived a long life with the cloak and had a family; however, as he grew old and his wife died he gave the cloak to his son and greeted Death as an old friend. Needless to say, these are all items of extreme power and of course, Voldemort wanted and that’s where his minions came in to terrorize and kill for him while he searched for the other two items to become Death’s master. However, eventually, at the height of Voldemort’s power in 1980, a prophecy was made:

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.”

“Two distinguished families in the wizarding world were expecting new members of the family at the end of July, the Longbottom family, a distinguished pureblood couple that resulted in a dear friend of mine named Neville and then the Potter couple, a pureblood and a muggle born witch, resulting in me.” 

“I am the one Voldemort marked as his equal. I was basically saved by my mother’s love when Voldemort killed her and cast a killing curse to me. Voldemort died and I was orphaned and had to live with abusive relatives that mimicked Riddle’s time in the orphanage. Dumbledore saved at 11 like he did Riddle and told me that I was a wizard. I am a parselmouth like Voldemort which means I can talk to reptiles, snakes in particular. I faced Voldemort or his minions every school year I had until at seventh year when I ditched school all together because it was taken over by Death Eaters and hunted Horcruxes and then went to war with him, was killed by him, came back, killed him and became the master of Death since I had inherited the cloak, got the stone from Dumbledore and had defeated the holder of the Elder wand. I became the master of Death and wanted to stop fighting so much so I decided to hone the cooking skills I had learned from the Dursleys and the Weasleys, opened a café, and became friends with a lunatic, acquaintances with the previous Minister of Magic’s cousin, and met you all.” 

Harry finished with jazz hands as if to say ‘Tada!’ as Fury finally bit into his stolen crepe, which exploded the white filling all over his black clothing, causing Teddy to laugh and Harry to look over at him before his eyes widened comically. “I’m late opening the shop!” and scooped up a still giggling Teddy, passing him to Tony before bolting out the door, yelling to Jarvis to speed up the elevator as Teddy smeared his crepe on Tony’s beard.


	4. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Harry's meeting!

The Meeting  


“How can he leave after telling us that?” Clint blew up, “We need more information! What else can magic do? How come he didn’t help us with Loki? How much do wizards and witches affect us? Is there any way to tell if you’re under a spell and break it? How hell did you and he become friends in the first place?”

“Swear jar!” Teddy yelled, pointing a chubby finger at Clint, “Uncle Tony, he said a bad word!”

Tony turned and glared at Clint, “Five dollars, swear jar; now! It’s behind my coffee maker.” 

Clint and everyone else gapped at Tony since he was the most foul-mouthed person in the room, besides Fury who was too busy cleaning up the white crepe splatter on his usual all black clothing.

“Yes I’m serious Barton! Everyone in the tower has to do it while Teddy is here!”

Clint grumbled about it as he dug out his wallet and dropped ten dollars in after Teddy heard another creative phrase and shrieked in protest.

Tony sat with Teddy running and playing with the lego models Harry had left while Stark gestured for them all to sit, “Harry and I met on probably the worst day we could have, a week after the Palladium poisoning got worse; Valentine’s Day.”

PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN

Tony Stark was a man of ridiculous wealth and power, lately he was a relatively sober person and in a committed relationship with one Pepper Potts-a complete 180 from his previous personal nature of the occasional drugs, constant alcohol induced haze, and a ridiculous amount of sex that, by now, most would have developed some less than savory side effects from, but not Tony. Nope, Tony was perfectly healthy…except for that little bitty detail of having a shit-ton of shrapnel from a bomb he made inching its way, or at least trying to inch its way, to his heart. And let’s not forget the fucking hole it left in his chest, with scars surrounding it, and a fucking fancy as shit glow-stick stuck in it that also acted like a damned magnet that kept the shrapnel from digging in and killing him. Yeah, Tony Stark was the picture of health until last week.

The fucking core of the damn thing that was saving his life was poisoning him, slowly but surely. Death by shrapnel digging into his fucking heart, poisoning, or a suicide in an alcohol induced haze that makes him have a little accident in the workshop…or off the balcony of his Malibu home? The latter sounded the most appetizing, go out with a bang, give the press something to talk about, don’t let Pep know he had been suffering and do it before their first major holiday together so that she wouldn’t have him there to fuck it up for her. Yep, that had sounded like the best option, but of course Karma couldn’t let that happen so now he was flying to New York to observe the progress of Stark Tower, even though it was Valentine’s, and he had to stay in some penthouse hotel room with people flocking for his attention. After all, Tony just had to party, he was never tired or wanted a moment alone with his bots, some scotch and AC/DC, Black Sabbath, or Motley Crue playing. No, he wanted to be led around by fake blondes who don’t believe he’s committed to Pepper since they weren’t together for the most romantic holiday, or the persistent reporters who have sources who they pay off for a sniff of scandalous actions that might get them a column on the front of a section or, if it’s crazy enough, the front page of the fucking newspaper or on Yahoo’s trending list. Honestly, who read an actual newspaper anymore?

So no, he wasn’t able to suffer at home and there was no way he could pull of an accident by himself in an empty hotel room until Pepper came on Valentine’s, and he didn’t want a party so Tony did the only thing he knew that would take the edge off of his angsty self that was starting to sound like a fucking emo teen obsessed with a sparkly-assed vampire boyfriend who had just abandoned her; he drank.

Three bottles of scotch, a bottle of vodka, and a bottle of tequila (which was always the drink that royally fucked him up), Tony felt like exploring. Well, not exploring; after all, he had grown up in New York. More like wandering around with a bottle of liquor and hope some crackpot was off his rocker just enough to be desperate enough to kill but not so far gone that they wouldn’t remember who Tony was, making him their first choice to go after for drug money…or maybe he’d stumble in front of a speeding cab or bus out in front of a bar.

Tony left in his rumpled, wrinkled suit, smelling like alcohol and slipped on his sunglasses even though it was pitch black out. Thankfully, even with the city streets being lit up, the shadows were enough to make Tony feel a bit covered and no one took a second glance at him. He wove through the mass of sheep and sneered at some of the displays he saw and nearly wanted to break down in tears at others, but his father’s warning of ‘Starks don’t cry’ was too drilled into his head for that to happen.

Tony continued his walk for a while, lamenting Valentine’s day. His first major holiday with Pepper would begin at midnight and he needed something to help take off the edge of what he had to do, he stumbled along, looking for a place he hadn’t been to before as to not be too deterred and give the owner a good story when he saw a faded blue sign painted on the brick of the building reading “Pognsltse eDn”…that can’t be right, Tony squinted at the sign for all of maybe five seconds to him, but really a good two minutes before the letters sorted themselves out to “Prongslet’s Den,” he had never been there before so he stumbled in, looking for a drink and walked up to the front that had a pretty boy with bright green eyes, “Bourbon.” He rasped out as he sat on the barstool, “Now.”

Green eyes stared at him for a bit before turning away, showing off a cute ass. Huh, he thought it was a boy serving him but the long hair, slim waist, pert bottom and toned, slender legs said otherwise. He stared, dazed until the boy came back and set down a mug and Tony, smelling the one thing he liked to drink besides booze, downed it, the temperature was perfect and the taste was exquisite. If Tony could have his way he would replace the blood in his veins with this ambrosia.

“Another, please! I neeeeeed it!” Tony whined, indignantly pouting with his puppy dog eyes glistening with unshed tears due to the previous bout of alcohol he had consumed. “Please?”

“Alright, keep your knickers on.” The…person handed him another cup, which Tony greedily drank down, quickly at first but slowly slowed down and lowed his head to the table, vaguely remembering what he was going to do before Pepper arrived that next morning before falling into the black.

Tony awoke with a start, jerking up before realizing he wasn’t in his pent house suite and looked around while trying to ignore the dull throb in his head he had nearly grown fully immune to over his years of drinking and noticed a pair of long, slim legs that seemed to go on for miles coming from a pair of gold shorts that covered a pert bottom that seemed familiar and his gaze traveled up to a slim waist and red shirt with a black, unruly mane of hair falling in tangled waves down between slender shoulder blades and a pair of wide, green eyes turned to him blinking before slipping on a pair of glasses and smiling at him, “Good morning.”

“Shit.” Tony said, glancing down to his boxer-clad nether regions.

“What?”

Tony sat up and quickly found his clothes draped over a chair, hastily putting them on. “I will pay you handsomely to keep what occurred between us out of the press, I’m sure that it was a lovely and fun time but no need to spread it around for all to know about and I will make sure you are comfortably compensated for the trouble of having me stay the night and not having the fame of sleeping with The Tony St-”

“What the ever loving fuck are you babbling about now?” A very irritated voice, coming from the girl broke his ramblings.

Tony blinked at her, “Well, us having sex can’t-”

“We didn’t have sex! I may be a pillow-biter but that doesn’t mean you’re my type!” The, now known, boy growled out angrily, eyes seemingly glowing and hair raising up the way an angry cat’s might.

“We…didn’t have sex? So I didn’t cheat on Pepper?” Tony asked.

“Who the hell is Pepper? Whoever she is I feel bad for her having to date you when you assume you slept with someone else right off that bat, even when in your undershirt and boxers that’s rather depressing and speaks little of your character.” He said glaring as Tony stared at him.

“I’ve…had a rather checkered past when it comes to the ladies and don’t deserve Pepper.” Tony said as he finished buttoning his shirt, “What happened last night?”

“You came stumbling into my café, snockered out of your mind, demanding I give you bourbon so I gave you coffee.” The boy glared; his eyes like colored shards of glass.

Tony stilled, remembering the coffee, the ambrosia that made his life so much better, the perfect coffee he had dreamed of since he had first acquired a taste for coffee. However, he thought he would never discover the perfect coffee he absolutely had to have at all times, the same way his father had a taste for Folgers dark blend.

“Another coffee before we talk!”

The raven-haired boy looked at him unamused, “Really? You accuse me of being some harlot who would sleep with anyone without knowing them, than demand that I make you coffee?” He asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“…Please make me coffee?” Tony asked.

They young man smiled, “Okay then, Tony was it? I’ll make you some coffee; I’m Harry, by the way.”

Tony stared at him, “You don’t know who I am?”

Harry looked at him blandly, “No, we’ve obviously never met before. Why? Should I know you?”

“Haven’t you seen me on TV? Read about me in the paper? I’m Tony Stark!”

“Stark…Stark…Oh! You mean the metal man everyone was making such a hubbub about?”

Tony gazed at him in disbelief as the younger man shrugged, “I just know what others say. I don’t have a TV and I find that newspapers tend to exaggerate and never really know what is going on so I listen to the radio and glean what I may from that.”

Tony stared at him, “What in the Hell, that is your life without electronics, do you do?”

Harry smiled as he led the way downstairs, “I read and I cook.”

Tony spluttered indignantly, “How can you live like that?”

Harry snorted as he led Tony into the kitchen and Tony looked around, “You live above your café?”

“Obviously,” He walked over to the coffee maker and got the coffee started while Tony took a seat at the bar, “so what are you doing sleeping in past one on a Sunday? Valentine’s Sunday of all things too.” 

Tony groaned, putting his face in his hands, “Shit, I was supposed to meet Pepper at nine. Why didn’t she call me?”

“Your mobile did ring this morning but cut off during the first lyrics of the song.”

Tony looked like he was going to bemoan his mistake until Harry served the genius with a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone, which instantly perked up the grumpy superhero. The man gulped the hot beverage as quickly as possible before scarfing down the scone, relishing in the fresh taste of blueberries and honey.

“I’d better call her back then, have her come down and get me.” He muttered, digging through his jacket pocket and fishing the phone out.

“Well I’m just going to finish cleaning the kitchen while you handle this.”

Tony waved the Brit off as he hit the first speed dial on his phone and waited for Pepper to pick up and hopefully not screech at him before he could explain what happened.

“Tony, where are you? I called everywhere!” Pepper’s frantic voice came through, “Happy didn’t even know where you were!”

“Pepper, calm down. I had a few to many last night and fell asleep at a café, the Prongslet’s Den. Come down and get me please?”  
Tony heard the very audible sigh and tired, “Tony…” 

“Please Pep?”

“…Fine, fifteen minutes.”

Tony closed his phone and looked up at the young man who had just finished cleaning out the oven, “Harry, how much would it be for you to stay open privately for me and my girlfriend for an hour and a half? Money is no issue but I kind of-”

“Fucked up to put in eloquent terms?” Harry asked with a half-cocked grin.

“Yes.”

Harry stood thoughtfully, head tilted to the side a bit, “Just pay me for the food. I don’t mind being here, no plans for today until later tonight.”

“Are you sure? I can pay whatever, I’m a billionaire, also thank you, knowing Pepper she skipped lunch looking for me and I’m starving.”

“Not a problem. Do you or she have any allergies?”

“She’s allergic to strawberries.”

“Got it,” Harry headed around the counter and cleared away all but on table, that was up against the wall by putting all of them on a stage area next to the stairs with Tony’s help and closed the drapes, leaving a single table that was pressed up against the wall with a vase that had the last fresh rose in it.

“What type of music?” Harry asked when Tony saw Happy pull the car up next to the curb outside and Pepper step out, not even waiting for Happy to get the door.

“Classical, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin “That’s Amore”, or classic 40’s slow dance.” 

Harry nodded and played the mix that had been playing in the café earlier when a red head, which wasn’t so vibrant a red that it reminded him of Ginny but who definitely reminded him of Hermione after the war, came racing in as quickly as her pride and heels would let her. “Anthony Edward Stark, what in the world is wrong with you? Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you?”

Tony nodded, putting on his ‘I’m so sorry #32’ face, “I’m so sorry Pepper, I just lost track of time last night and fell asleep. Are you hungry though? Harry is cooking lunch for us.”

“Who’s Harry?” Pepper asked, exasperated, but really she should know better by now what Tony was like.

“Hello,” Harry said, waving from the kitchen with a wooden spoon covered in batter, “I’m Harry, the owner of this debatable establishment. Please,” he gestured to the table, “have a seat.”

Pepper realized that there was only one table in the entire dining area and turned, ready to lecture Tony before he grabbed her hand and led her over to the table when Harry popped out of the back with two menus, “Hello, welcome to the Prongslet’s Den and happy Valentine’s Day! May I get you something to drink now?”

Pepper looked over the drink section quickly, “Sweetened Blackberry Tea please.”

“Raspberry Lemonade,” Tony ordered, not letting his gaze leave Pepper’s besides the quick glance down to the menu.

“Those will be out in one moment.” Harry left the couple.

“So what did you think of the building plans so far?” Pepper asked.

“Fine, designed by me of course now no more work. How are your brother and the rug rats?”

Pepper didn’t get a chance to start since Harry had come back with their drinks, “Will you two need a few more minutes?”

Pepper looked down quickly, “I will have a cup of your…Tomato bisque and the grilled zucchini and chicken on the house milled whole wheat bread with the fresh fruit.”

“Very good, and you sir?” Harry asked, turning to Tony.

“The Tomato bisque and your tenderloin on focaccia bread with your César salad.”

Harry smiled, taking the menus, “Very well, that shall be out in about seven to ten minutes.”

Pepper talked with Tony about her niece and nephews and Tony talked about how DUM-E finally made a drinkable orange and blueberry smoothie after getting instructions from Jarvis the other day when their meals came out, “There you are, will you two need anything else?”

“No, thank you.”

Harry disappeared yet again as the two started eating and Pepper was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and soon all talking besides more than a few sexual innuendos from Tony about how wonderful the food was, and then harry brought out desert of a chocolate raspberry Oreo mousse with pink sauce drizzling over the plate and light, airy whipped topping that was even lighter than the mousse with a frozen pink heart standing upright in the center for the two to share and two cups of coffee with crème and sugar on the side, wishing the couple a happy Valentine’s as they stared in surprise and indulged in the bit of heaven before using the open space to dance, just the two of them before they left, Tony leaving a hundred on the table with a wave to Harry.

PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN PRONGSLETS DEN

“So after that date Pepper and I always eat at Harry’s at least once every time we’re in New York, and when we’re here for long periods of time, once a week. He’s become a close friend.” Tony finished.

“…Yeah, that was mushier than what was necessary. And Tony, since when have you ever had friends?” Clint joked, “Come on guys, let’s go to the café and get some answers!” The rest of the Avengers quickly voted yes and Tony tiredly adjusted Teddy on his hip, and for once followed the group without complaint since he knew he could wrangle another blueberry muffin out of Harry.


	5. The Apron

“This is quaint…” Clint commented as he followed Tony and Steve into the café, “This is not what I had in mind for a friend of Tony’s, but on the other hand, I can see it all things considering the prim and proper British bloke is running it.”

“Oi! I’ll have you know I’m not all prim and proper, it’s just you lot that lacks manners,” an exasperated Harry said, rolling his eyes as he passed the Avenging group as he took a tray of coffee, tea, and cakes to an older group of ladies whom had spotted Tony and Teddy.

“Oh Tony! How have you been? We saw you get hit hard in the last fight you had, are you okay?” A woman with snow white hair that contrasted with her dark, navy hat and dress spoke worriedly, her wrinkled lips pulled into a worried frown.

“I’m fine Jewel, I promise, just bruised.” Tony said with his lady-killer grin on as he approached the table and sat at the spare seat.

“Hello Teddy, how is Andy?” The woman sitting across from Jewel asked.

Teddy looked disheartened and ran off to hug Harry.

“It’s not good,” Harry said, “the doctors can’t do much now… It’s time that’s our enemy. After today the café will be closed until further notice.” He then turned to the other Avengers, who all looked rather out of place besides Bruce and Steve, “This way.”

He led the group to the back, near the fireplace and had them stationed in the large armchairs and couches that took up the space in a half moon around the coffee table and in front of the fire.

Bruce sank into an armchair with a quiet sigh, across from Steve who mimicked him while Clint and Natasha took their spots on the couch with Tony meandering over to them, with Teddy who ran straight for Cappy and jumped into his lap, babbling about the best food his Uncle Harry made and what he should get.

“Okay Potter, we have some questions, what can magic do? Why does the magical world take prophecies so seriously? Are there prophecies about non-magicals? How much do you rely on magic? You can obviously cook without it so you can’t be that crazy about it. What about school? What was magic school like besides almost dying all the time? Does everyone almost die all the time? What about fights? I’m sure you have some pretty good stories. Why aren’t you answering me?” Clint babbled on, barely pausing to take a breath and certainly did not leave enough time for Harry to respond to him; he was so excited he looked ready to vibrate out of his seat.

Harry took his moments of gasping for air after his last question to raise his hand up in a placating manner and smiled at Clint, “I’m sorry, but it’s so busy I won’t be able to answer your questions. I run this establishment alone and have no help so I will not have any time to talk to you before closing at five tonight. You will have to be patient I’m afraid, with no help I’m simply swamped.” Harry sighed.

“Will you answer my questions if I help you?” Clint asked, desperate for answers to satisfy his curiosity.

“Well, I’m not sure…” Harry said, trailing off as he thought about it.

“Please?” Clint asked, practically begging.

“All right, get to the back and put on a spare apron.” Harry said, pointing to the door that led to the back of the kitchen.

Clint took off and Tony, who had been wearing a shit-eating grin the entire time burst out laughing in delight-something that scared most people because it meant Tony was amused, and Tony had a rather skewered since of humor.

“What?” Steve asked naively, “What’s so funny?”

“That’s how Harry got a day of free labor from Happy once he found out what Harry is. He worked the entire day, no breaks and none of his questions were answered until the next day, he was so tired that night he fell asleep right after clean up. Harry is a slave-driver but the beauty of it is that he has the big, green eyes that look so innocent set in those androgynous features, he doesn’t have to ask for help, you ask or you automatically do it because you don’t want to let him down or let him get tired. It’s scary because Teddy is learning it from him now and has everyone under his thumb, you should see Pepper with him. He tames her even on her worst days, or the day’s I have homework.”

Natasha let a small smirk grace her features, “This is going to be…interesting.”

“Now, what would you all like to drink, really I should just ask Bruce and Natasha, what would you all like to drink?”

“Tea, preferably green tea, nothing added.”

“You’re dark chocolate caramel coffee.” Natasha deadpanned as she read the menu on the table.

“Great, I will have Clint bring you your orders in a minute.” 

The group waited while Teddy entertained them with amusing stories of how he described the regulars and their lives when Clint appeared, carrying a tray encumbered with drinks and a platter of blueberry muffins, undoubtedly for Tony who only ever shared his food with Pepper, Happy, and Bruce. However, the best part was indisputably the fact that Clint was wearing a watermelon themed apron with the main body being a hot pink with black, tear-drop seeds and the frilly trim and pockets was a wave of green that mimicked a watermelon rine. It was more than what anyone at the table (Tony) had hoped for in amusement of Clint having been duped by Harry’s ‘innocence’ and hints of the possibility of being overworked to the point of not having any social time.

“Okay, the blueberry flavored coffee and platter of muffins is Tony’s, the Earl Grey is Steve’s, the Green Tea is Bruce’s, the cinnamon hot chocolate is Teddy’s, and the Dark Chocolate Caramel is Tasha’s.” He said as he gleefully placed the items in front of their intended.

“Thank you ma’am.” Tony sassed as he greedily grabbed a muffin and downed a half cup of the coffee.

“Oh haha you a--” Clint glanced at Teddy who was watching him with his large, amber eyes, “obnoxious donkey.”

“Name calling!” Teddy piped up, pointing at Clint, “Jar!”

Bruce his a little smile behind his large purple mug, “Yeah Clint, jar when we get home.”

“Oh come on!” Clint bemoaned as he slouched off, before perking up and started to help Harry again trying to formulate a question before Harry said something rapidly while stacking Clint’s tray and waving him towards a table in the back with an elderly old man and a young woman who had his eyes and smile.

Harry disappeared into the back and soon, the smell of banana bread started to waif through the café and several people looked eager while Clint was busy filling orders that Harry put into the register and directed him to the items that were selling while he made coffee and various other drinks. Then the lunch rush came and everyone watched Clint with a mixture of amusement and pity.

The infamous-to New York at least-Hawkeye was getting his rear handed to him by little old biddies with replaced hips and specific, undeniable requests for their food, drinks, seating, and temperature. The women were just too sweet to turn down though and Clint was bending over backwards to meet their wishes to try and accommodate them.

Another group of little girls in tutu’s and ballet slippers come in with their mothers, several who have specific allergies that need attention and make changes to the menu items that has Clint writing so messily he can barely read it in order to keep up.

Those two groups were only the beginning and the café never truly died down; by the end of the day, Clint was panting the way he had his first day of training to be an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. and was just tired out and fell asleep on a couch near his teammates while Harry was just as fresh and dainty as ever. After closing the café from prying eyes of the outside and pulling the drapes, he cleaned the entire space with a flick of his wrist and started on dinner for the Avengers.

“That was great Harry; it was beautiful to see Clint running around like a new mom.” Tony snickered.

Harry raised his eyebrow and put a confused look on his face as he scooped up a giggling Teddy, “Why Tony, I have no idea what you mean. I just let him help out with some chores around the place.”

“It was just coincidence today was the day you worked on Teddy’s new doll during your breaks?” Tony asked.

“Yep, and finished; here you go cub.” Harry said, producing a brand new, freshly sewn Black Widow doll for Teddy who whooped with joy and cuddled the red headed toy with vigor and a giggle as he ran to his knapsack that held Hulk, Cap and Iron Man before going over to Bruce and looked at him with a pleading expression.

“Mrs. Widow?” Teddy asked, “Will you sign my doll?” 

Natasha blinked in surprise before looking over at Tony questioningly, who just pulled out the Sharpie and tossed it at her when everyone was startled by a thump and turned to see Clint, who had rolled off of the couch in his sleep, now drooling on the floor, cuddling with the apron while the puddle of saliva next to his head grew larger and larger with every breath he took.

“Harry, you are evil.” Natasha said to a still innocent looking Harry who simply shrugged. No one bugged a Marauder and got away with it.


	6. The Lecture

Harry put a “CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” sign in the window when he and the Avengers decided to leave the café after finally rousing Clint long enough for him to zombie-walk to a car and fall asleep in the back after sitting down, still clutching the apron in his hand. Unfortunately, it was not the S.H.I.E.L.D. issued SUV that they had originally drove to the café, but in a taxi cab, making Bruce roll his eyes in a mixture of fondness and exasperation before climbing in and giving the taxi driver the location after Tony carelessly tossed a $50 in to the cabby as payment for the ten minute drive while Natasha buckled a sleepy Teddy into his car seat, having been the one he fell asleep on.

“You all go ahead, I’m going to visit Andy for a bit and see if she needs anything.” Harry said to Tony with a smile. “Go one, take Teddy home, tuck him in, tell him I will see him in the morning if he wakes up and asks for me, then read him the story about the Wolf and the Moon.” 

“Okay, midnight milk still?” Tony asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Now it’s apple juice.”

“Of course.” Tony rolled his eyes.

“Bye Tony, Natasha…Steve,” and with a quick glance around and a quiet POP, he was gone.

~~~

Harry appeared outside of a hospital in the ally and walked around to and through the front door, nodding to a nurse at the front desk, “Hello Nancy, how’s Jim doing?”

“Good, he just finished up his physical therapy and can go back to work next Wednesday.” The blond, bubbly squib said happily, thinking of her fiancé, “Going to see Andy?”  
“Of course, I didn’t get a chance yesterday with all the clamor and frenzied masses and with Tony bugging me to stay with him, Teddy coming, the bleeding Avengers and Nick breathing down my neck.”

“Well, I’m going to warn you, she’s in a bad way today. She hasn’t been able to sit up on her own and requested we shave her head off.” Nancy warned quietly, her previous happy demeanor gone.

“Have you done it yet?” Harry asked somberly.

“No, we wanted to wait because she insisted you were coming. So what should we do?”

“I’ll cut it, and then we can donate it to be made into a wig for someone else who needs it.” Harry said solemnly before nodding goodbye and heading through a door that read MEDICAL SUPPLIES: STAFF ONLY.

He entered in the medical supplies and walked straight through the back through bag valves and into the magical ward. He passed the wall of floos and avoided the front desk, where a particularly voluptuous nurse who liked to flirt and cause scenes would be located and walked down the hallway and up two flights of stairs, transfiguring a handkerchief into a lace patterned balloon for Amy, one of the new patients who suffered from lung cancer and amnesia. She had no visitors, being a widow who lost her only son during the war while he was visiting relatives in Brighton. She was a dear though, always shamelessly flirting with Harry before stopping, looking out the window and called to him in a dazed voice, calling out for Marcus, her late husband.

Harry stepped out onto her floor and turned to enter her room. It was barren. The sheets were clean and fresh while the room smelt of death. Harry sighed, he had gotten so use to death he hadn’t noticed the collection of a new soul. He sadly bowed his head before tying the balloon to the bedpost for the next occupant and left to go three doors over and across the hall to Andromeda’s room.

Andy was laying against her mountain of pillows, eyes closed but a faint smile on her face, her pale white and black hair a startling contrast to the blue pillows and she opened her eyes, her face crinkling with a smile, “Hello Harry.”

“Hi Andy.” Harry said softly, inwardly cringing at how feeble her voice sounded, and if it was even possible, she looked thinner, like a skeleton with skin, and more of a chalky grey than white like before.

“Don’t you look at me like that mister.” Andy said grumpily, coughing at the end, “I know what you’re thinking and I don’t need to think about it. I need to think about the papers you hopefully brought. You did bring them didn’t you?”

Only Andromeda Tonks nee Black, a little old lady who weighed no more than 5st 12lbs and couldn’t move off of her death bed, could put the fear of God into a man. 

Harry shuddered at the stare before pulling out thick leaflets of parchment and a fountain pen with a refilling ink spell, signed the bottom of the last page after initialing lines and several pages later prior to passing the stack to Andy, gently setting the papers down on her lap and reading the documentation out to her softly while he combed her hair gently. It was amazing it stayed with all the Chemotherapy she had endured and Harry was saddened to have to cut it, but it was in Andy’s wishes.

“Harry, now you listen to me-no interruptions. I’m close to death’s door, you know this and do not deny it. You are already taking Teddy as your son by magical adoption, but I want you to promise me that you will not send him to Hogwarts when he is of age-it is not the school it once was, the prejudice will destroy his happy demeanor more than you will ever realize, and he will always be persecuted for his bloodlines whether or not the families are light or dark. Send him to the Marie Leaveau school in New Orleans-they are the most tolerant for the strange and unknown. If not, Salem Witches Institute is as well. A school in the America’s will be best, they are the most tolerant and have activist and union groups for nearly everything and everyone, he would be most protected from slurs tossed at him.” 

Harry nodded; Europe still had a long way to go for magical creature’s equal rights and it looked like it would take a few decades or so to get the laws merely drawn up, not to mention passed. The Wizarding community, after having the blood purity for so long, would still carry the after-effects of the discrimination several generations more. Harry could compare the whole ordeal to slavery, emancipation, and the Jim Crow laws that happened in America, with the lingering traces of racism still intact heavily in some of the newer generations.

“Other than that, I know you will choose well for my Grandson,” Andy boasted weakly, softly resting her hand on top of Harry’s, who had just finished cutting her hair off and held the black and white mass in his fist. “Now, go and put have fun with my little Theodore and be sure Mrs. Willis gets this hair for a wig she is planning on making for darling Clara Moots. Shoo!” Andy glared teasingly at Harry.

Harry complied, seeing that it was long after visiting hours and he still needed to make dinner for the Avengers that evening and left Andy with a kiss, after magiking the signed documents to Hornmook, the Goblin in the American Gringotts banks that Harry trusted his legal matters with and left, after kissing Andy goodnight on the forehead and walking to the nearest apperation point in the ward to get to Tony’s personal lounge and disappeared with a crack, reappearing in bar area and spotted Tony, Teddy, and Steve asleep on the couch.

“JARVIS, have they eaten?”

“Yes Mister Potter.”

“And you do have pictures of this moment?”

“I do sir.”

Harry smiled as he moved to settle between a drooling Tony who had a snoring Teddy on his chest, his hair a rainbow of colors, and a silent and still Steve. Harry conjured a blanket and cuddled in with his now legal son, best friend, and new friend before falling fast asleep, unknown to him that JARVIS was continuing to take pictures and send them to Tony’s personal files of the two wizards.

Later that night, the four were woken by a call from the hospital: Andromeda Tonks, nee Black, had passed away at 2:49am.


	7. The Funeral

The second of March was a bitter day for those who had known Andromeda “Andy” Tonks. Sure the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and birds were singing but to everyone who knew the feisty witch, the day seemed to mock her passing while also reminding them of her warmth. 

The hardest to console was one Theodore “Teddy” Lupin-Potter. He was overjoyed by the news that Harry had officially adopted him but shattered by the news of his Grandmothers death and his appearances mimicked his torn feelings. He had the heart shaped face of his grandmother and her warm brown eyes but Harry’s unruly hair and cupids-bow mouth. He refused to talk to anyone, even Harry or Tony after his initial screams and cries of mourning the moment he had discovered what had happened.

The Avengers were a somber group that day, none of the usual mocking and teasing and arguing-it was reminiscent of Coulson’s funeral.

Of course everyone had flown out to England-Andy had her funeral set up to be buried in the same Catholic cemetery that her husband resided in, right next to him. Oh the irony of a religious witch had some like Steve, who was Protestant himself, reeling with emotions of the debate in the Bible that clearly spoke out that witchcraft was a sin. However, so was a man liking another man so Steve couldn’t just bend the Bible and pick the pieces he liked, he had to respect it all as it told the story of the Lord, but also had to take some of the laws it mentioned with a grain of salt since they were debatably manmade and just put in to spread the word and make it harder for those who were religious to speak out against them…

Steve was lost in his own thoughts, staring at the river next to the graveyard, only broken out of them when a rock hit the surface and he looked around for the source of it. Teddy was sitting a several yards away and began to pick up another rock and hurl it, tears streaming down his face, “Hello Teddy.” Steve sat on the patch of grass Teddy had chosen, startling him and making his wrist slip and create the rock into a skipping stone as it bounced twice off the lake before sinking on the third impact.

Teddy turned away, silently blushing and ripping blades of grass out of the ground and mutilating them into little pieces of green confetti.

“You know, I lost my mom when I was about your age.” Steve said, hunching over so his arms were resting on his knees as he stared into the distance, “She was my world. I didn’t remember my dad that well, so my mom was the one working two jobs, mending my shirts and teaching me about baseball during her moment’s between shifts and her rare days off. Then one day I came home and made sandwiches for dinner to surprise her since she had been pulling more hours at the hospital and she never came back. The next day at school a guy was waiting for me and told me she had died of pnemonia. I hadn’t even noticed she was sick, I didn’t know how soon she would be gone. It tore me to pieces-I was an orphan. If Bucky’s parents hadn’t taken me in, I would have gone to the orphanage.” Steve smiled sadly at Teddy, who was staring at the patch of dirt that marked Andy’s grave to the side of them.

“I still have Uncle Harry.” He sniffed and leaned against Steve, “I miss her, do you miss your mommy?”

Steve wrapped his arm around Teddy, “I sure do bud,” he said looking at the blue his mom’s eyes had been up in the sky, “I sure do.”


	8. The Planning

The next two months were hard on the English citizens, and made those around them saddened that they could not do more to help; but the grieving stage was starting to slow, as time helped dull the harshness of the mental and emotional wounds gained during Andy's passing.

Harry was back to work at the café and living above the shop again while Teddy went back to school. Harry, Luna, any of the Avengers plus Pepper, or Happy and Rhodey volunteered as his escorts to and from the brick building, insuring his popularity since he could show that he knew the superheroes. Both however would still gaze off into the distance every now and then; when that happened, chocolate was immediately pushed under their noses so that they would cheer up.

Steve had taken to sitting at the café from eight to ten, watching to make sure Harry was okay. It had amused him to no end when he had discovered Harry was most decidedly not a morning person. Sure, he woke up early and could cook up anything the team wished, but he was doing so more from muscle memory than actually being alert. The first time he had been cooking after the whole team was in the tower again in a lull between missions and actually awake, Harry had walked right into Clint on his way to set food on the table, grunted, and proceeded to run into Bruce who had thankfully just finished his tea, so when the cup was jostled no heart rate went up due to scalding liquid.

Steve kept telling himself it was for Harry's safety, and not because the younger man was adorable, as he sleepily tried to navigate anything that wasn't his kitchen in that state. The fact he could avoid bumping into customers and get their orders to them safely before 10 o'clock hit was a small miracle in itself.

By the end of Steve's first week observing Harry at the café he had an intimate knowledge of the menu and a sketchbook filled of drawings of Harry, whether it was of him chatting with the regulars, putting out fresh croissants, or rubbing the sleep out of his eyes in a child-like fashion with a curled fist.

By the end of the month Steve had an entire shelf of sketchbooks dedicated to Harry and Teddy. Some drawings were more innocent and bubbly: of the two interacting, or just a day at the cafe, whilst others came from a…rather wistful imagination on Steve's part. Such as Harry blushing, Harry curled up on the couch asleep, Harry bundled up for winter watching the snow fall with child-like excitement, Harry at a beach reclining on the sand.

By the end of the second month, Harry finally caught a glimpse of what Steve had been drawing; it was an innocent picture of Harry brushing Teddy's crazed hair while both were dressed in their pajamas in the morning, if the shading of the light from the living-room window was of any indication.

"I never realized how good of an artist you are Steve, this is beautiful," Harry exclaimed, looking over his shoulder from serving another customer.

Steve's neck made an ominous cracking sound as he lifted it and looked behind him so quickly anyone else would have had a terrible case of whiplash, "Um, thank you," he said, rapidly succumbing to an involuntary impression of a rather ripe tomato.

"It's brilliant, can I look at some more of your drawings when there's a break?" Harry asked, green doe eyes sparkling at the blonde.

"Yes, of course." Steve managed to say this without stuttering, a bonus as he viewed it, before he realized that the entirety of the sketchpad was Harry and Teddy or Harry interacting with the Avengers; but the detail was obviously all focused on Harry, everyone else were simple lines.

Steve sighed, rubbing his eyes before taking another sip of the new drink Harry had put on the menu since it was getting chillier, it was a hot chocolate that tasted like yorkshire patty, and even though the mint was overpowering it was addictive. He sat, staring into the hot chocolate for a while before nodding and making up his mind: he would ask Harry out as he showed him the sketches. No backing out and being a coward about it-he was going to do it.

"Hey Steve, can I see them now?" Harry asked, smiling as he sat down across from him, with a butter-chocolate croissant and a vanilla latte.

Steve nodded and passed over his sketchbook hesitantly, "Harry, I was wondering," he started as Harry stared at the detail put into his hair and Teddy's teeth before flipping through the pages.

"Yes Steve?" Harry asked, looking up.

"I was wondering if you-we could-do you want to grab dinner with me sometime?" Steve asked, stumbling over how to form the question.

Harry looked up and a blush started to grow and spread across his cheeks, making his usual ivory coloring change to a cotton-candy pink. "I would like that," he admitted quietly, with an unusually shy smile gracing his features.

"Tomorrow at seven? I know a great little place around the block," Steve requested, gaining confidence with Harry's reaction.

Harry nodded and looked up as a horde of people came in, "Tomorrow at seven it is!" he said, standing and rushing to the front with his plate and mug.

Steve smiled and looked down to see the last sketch Harry had seen and it was of Harry curled around Teddy protectively as they slept, Teddy clutching onto his little plush Cap that Steve had signed all those days ago.

Then Steve realized what just happened. He had asked Harry out…and Harry said yes.

He needed Tony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tony, as always, was in his workshop when Steve went to find him. His hair was a mess, sticking up more so than Harry's, thick with the grease that had been transferred there from his fingers after sweeping his hands through it, aggravated at whatever project he was working on. Face covered in sweat, dirt, and grime with dark bruising under his eyes, his work table was littered with coffee mugs at all stages of being filled and film covering it, and a plethora of empty mugs, with one tall glass that was some bright green concoction with brown streaks all through it that Steve suspected was DUM-E's latest attempt at a smoothie.

"Tony? When was the last time you slept? Or ate?"

"Don't know, don't care. Busy. Whadya want?" Tony asked as he welded something that just looked like a mangled mess to Steve.

"I have a date with Harry tomo-"

Tony dropped his torch and turned everything off, fixing him with an attentive stare. For the genius who couldn't sit still for a whole of thirty seconds at a meal and was always playing with something or working on his tablet, this focus of pure attention was unnerving.

"..tomorrow. I was going to take him to that little Turkish food place around the corner from the café."

"We are going shopping." Tony announced, moving past Steve to the door of the workshop.

"What? Tony, are you okay?"

"We are going shopping. Meet me in the garage in an hour. JARVIS! Straight to my room, no pausing the elevator for anyone."

"Of course sir."

Steve continued to stand where he had been the whole time when the conversation started.

"JARVIS, what just happened?"

"I believe Mr. Stark is planning on taking you clothes shopping for your date with Mr. Potter."

Anthony Edward Stark knew many things, and one of the things he knew all too well was how to dress nicely.

Steve was pulled to two different tailors and six different stores with price tags on the clothing that made Steve blush, and one place that didn't have price tags at all. All of this under the reasoning that no friend of Tony's was going to date someone who dressed like a grandpa out on the farm.

In the end, Steve came out alive with seven new pairs of jeans, nineteen new shirts, two dozen new ties, four sport coats, and several dozen suits. Steve felt like a life-size doll at Stark's disposal but, he had to admit, after all the wolf-whistles and heated stares along with phone numbers from several different women and men, Stark might just have something there about Steve's fashion.

"Now, I'm Harry, you pick me up, how are you going to do it?" Tony asked, typing away frantically on his phone.

"Um, with a smile and some flowers?" Steve asked, making Tony stop and turn around swiftly.

"Harry is not a girl Steve, he doesn't like flowers because they make him think of funerals or weddings. Mostly funerals with all the ones he's attended," he said, rolling his eyes and glaring a little at Steve before getting a thoughtful look, "Wait, have you ever seen Stranger than Fiction? It's a movie."

"Um, no. Should I?" Steve took out his little black book and added it in while Tony was rambling.

"That's perfect, you'll take him flours!" Tony exclaimed.

Steve stared at him dumbly, "But you just said Harry doesn't like flowers!"

"Not flowers Capsicle! F-L-O-U-R-S!" With gusto, Tony explained his plan…and it was a damn good plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I had someone ask...  
> Spottedleafpaw is my Beta...  
> We are currently working on two crack-fics together though that may be posted later.


	9. The Date (Part 1)

Steve was nervous. He was more nervous than when he asked Bucky if they were best friends. 1He was more nervous than when he actually got into the army. He was more nervous than when he discovered it was just penicillin and not the super soldier serum. He was more nervous than when he and Peggy kissed. He was more nervous than before he hit the water, knowing that he was going to die.

But he didn’t. He lived, caked in ice, surrounded by the cold. When he woke, all people told him was that it was a miracle and how lucky he was to have survived until he met Tony, who just stared at him before rambling on about how Steve’s life sucked now that he didn’t know anything about anything. At the time, Steve was offended. The last known link to his past was insulting him. However, as time wore on, Steve realized almost too late that what Stark said was the truth. He didn’t know anything… and for a man like Steve, the man with the plan, not knowing was the most dangerous, frightening thing out there… Which is what he was facing now-the unknown, or, as many people called it, a date.

Sure, he and Stark came up with a damn-good plan, but Steve had no experience in dating other than when Bucky took him on a ‘double-date’ where Steve ended up being the fourth wheel. At least before joining the army Steve knew how to shoot a gun, here he had no idea what to do. More so with the fact that Harry was a man, androgynous or not, and Steve still remembered the day they found Mr. Chambers, the quite neighbor from down the street, beaten to death and left strung up at his window as a warning of what happened to men who indulged in perversions.

True, he knew it was more graciously accepted by the younger generation and some in the older crowd with obvious exceptions and unbridled hostility by many. The first thing he had done once he was out of the ice was to check out books of various civil rights movements and different laws since 1950 after meeting Fury and learning he was in charge. Steve was thrilled by the progress America had made in many areas, things were slowly and surely getting better for the homosexual community and the fact he could openly date a man was a miracle in itself, never-mind how amazing it was that he could marry a man.

Steve walked out to the communal level in the tower, nervously fiddling with his jacket, which he was sure cost a ridiculous amount since it had no tag when it was bought for him by Tony who made it a condition for Steve not to dress like a grandpa when dating his best friend.

Natasha was on the couch, sipping a coffee while reading Chinese Cinderella, when she looked up and saw him. He was wearing an outfit JARVIS had helped picked out; a new brown leather jacket with a blue button down that had thin silver pin-stripes, jeans that had no business being so tight everywhere but the knee down, and some black converse.

Natasha stared for a long time before smirking, “No wonder you wouldn’t date Sarah.”

Clint came crashing down, apparently he’d been napping in the vent’s again without the cover on and fell out when startled awake by Nat’s voice if the drool down his shirt said anything, “Who wouldn’t date Sarah?” He asked as he stood from the crouch he had half-way landed in. “Oh, hey Steve. Shouldn’t you be gone for your date?”

“Tony said I can’t arrive early, that it would look to desperate.” Steve sheepishly admitted, thinking of only a few minutes before when Tony put the garage on lockdown so Steve didn’t scare away Harry with being over-eager. He still had some time before leaving and Tony said his job was done. He had provided the flours and keys to his classic 1958 Buick Rivera, he wanted to stay away from it other than that so Harry wouldn’t withhold his Dutch chocolate cheesecake as a punishment for Tony doing something stupid to Cap.

Natasha rolled her eyes and snorted as she went back to her book and Clint sat on the couch and falling asleep next to her, “Go to the kitchen, drink a bottle of water, go sketch something, then leave.” She said, dismissing him from the common room and her sight, making Steve wander off to do just that before leaving for his date.

PRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDEN

Harry flitted around his loft, helping Teddy pack to go visit Bill, Fleur, and Victorie for the weekend as he also baked Hermione’s favorite sugar cookies that she was craving constantly now that she was pregnant again with her and Fred’s second child. Their first born Rose was only six months old with Hermione being four months pregnant, meaning Rose and the new baby, Hugo or Amelia depending on the gender, would be Irish twins. Harry was just happy that she was only craving sugar cookies and not chocolate covered pickles with rainbow sprinkles and salsa again, that was a weird one.

Harry continued to look until he found a bubblegum pink stuffed wolf he had sewn for Teddy’s first birthday. Everyone who didn’t know of Teddy’s parents had laughed themselves silly when they saw Teddy holding it but Harry didn’t care, he wanted something for Teddy besides a picture for him to carry around and since that birthday, Teddy couldn’t sleep without the darned thing, affectionately called Tonksy, and Mooney in his arms when he was away from Harry.

Teddy ran into Harry’s leg as Harry was packing the bag and demanded for bath time, knowing that Aunt Flower would get upset if Teddy was stinky and her baths weren’t as fun as Harry’s. She let Teddy splash as much as he wanted and would help him play with the toys and always had amazing stories but her bath times were just different from Harry’s. Plus Teddy knew that his uncle didn’t know what to do until Steve got there so he used full advantage of being the offspring of a marauder to wreak havoc. 

During the bath being filled, it overflowed, bringing the bubbly water into the hallway and Teddy created his own slip n’ slide by distracting Harry into making Fleur cinnamon cherry bread. Aunt Hermione claimed for such a powerful wizard, Harry always seemed to forget he had magic and did things the muggle way without a second thought. Uncle Fred claimed it was just a Harry thing to do things the hard way, giving Harry a certain charm that only a hard which many witches and wizards in Britain lacked. Needless to say, Harry spent his time baking, running after a naked, bubble covered Teddy, and mopping up water until there was a knock at his door.

Cursing under his breath and casting a quick drying charm at the still wet flow, Harry scooped a giggling Teddy up in a towel and opened the offending door, coming face to face with Fleur.

“Ah ‘Arry! Mon-my brother! How ‘ave you been?” She asked, kissing his cheeks in the typical French greeting before taking Teddy into her arms and smothering his giggling self with kisses.

“Good, I’m sorry Fleur but this little monkey has been running around everywhere! Let me get him dressed, I already packed his bag.” Harry said, taking Teddy back into his arms, “How is everyone?”

“Bill ‘as been in Germany looking at ze forest in Kirchlengern for hidden treasure that is thought to be from Grindlewald’s theft from Goblins but zere has been a curse zere since ze 12th century. Bill thinks it goes back to ze wizards who wanted secrecy from ze muggles and was strengthened when zere Holy Wars started in ze 14th century. He is very excited to see what zey might find. Victorie is with Hermione and Fred, she lit ze fire for Hermione’s cauldron today before Hermione could. It made Bill angry he missed her first intentional magic.”

Harry nodded along with Fleur’s story telling, rightfully congratulating the proud mother at the appropriate times as he dressed Teddy in shorts and an Iron Man shirt that Tony had given him because ‘how else would he be able to express his love for Uncle Tony?’

“What about you ‘Arry? Bill said zat you had a date?” Fleur asked slyly, throwing Harry for a loop, almost causing him to drop Teddy’s Hulk backpack that he had made bottomless in order to fit all of Teddy’s clothes and nighttime emergency pull-ups and toys.

“That’s right! I have a date at seven…with Steve. He’s…nice. A bit awkward but nice.”

Fleur quirked an eyebrow, “Seven you said?”

“Um, yes?”

“’Arry, it is 6:42.”

Harry blanched and looked at the clock hanging next to the table, the quite tick-toc telling him Fleur was indeed correct and there was less than 18 minutes for Harry to get ready and he was covered in soap and his hair, he was sure, was putting even the normal Potter look to shame. 

PRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDENPRONGSLETSDEN

After Harry quickly gathered up Teddy’s things, packed Hermione’s cookies and ushered Fleur out of the apartment he had five minutes and an obligation to tell Fleur the entirety of the date.

After a quick dry off-he was sure he was clean after the bubble war-he threw on his only pair of not ripped or stained dark wash jeans with a charcoal grey shirt. As he was doing up the last couple of buttons there was a knock on his door and he raced to answer it, tendons clinching as he tried to calm down as he opened the door.

The sight of Steve made him smile, but what was the box with bags in his hands baffled him, “Hi.”

“Hi.” Steve grinned awkwardly.

“…Steve? What are in the bags?”

“Fours.”

“What?” Harry asked confused, peering at Steve as if to see if he was fully there mentally at the moment.

“I brought you flours.”

Harry stared at the bags before it clicked: flours…as in to cook with.

“Yeah, um the one in the blue bag is Almond flour…um, it’s supposed to be good for pastries. This in the yellow is Barley flour, which is high in fiber. The white is Coconut flour which needs more liquids than normal…The green is Soy flour and it’s usually best for sweet things…” Steve blushed bright red, “I’m sure you know this though, being a chef.”

“Thank you Steve,” Harry smiled and gestured him in to set the flours down, “Are we good to go?”

“Yes, unless you need to grab anything?” Steve asked, shoving his hands in his pockets since he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

“Um, no.. I’m good.” Harry said walking out the back door with Steve, which in a way was the front door to his second story home. 

Steve led Harry down to the barrowed car and rubbed the back of his neck, “I was thinking we could walk there since it’s not that far…is that alright?”

Harry nodded, “It’s New York, it would take longer to drive there than walk and parking it would be a nightmare.”

Steve nodded, “It didn’t use to be that way.”

Harry started alongside him, shoulder to shoulder as they maneuvered though the thick crowds, “So how did you find this place?”

“Pepper actually recommended it to me. Her, Tony and everyone have been adding things to a list for me to try. Restaurants, movies, books, music, you name it.”

“That’s probably the only way for you to get caught up on all you missed, huh?” Harry asked, grimacing at the thought of missing 70 years of technology and culture instead of the seven Harry did, and even then Harry would find out the basic information during the summers he was allowed to walk around and observe people. Steve had none of that.

“I don’t even know how to approach it beside chronologically.” Steve said, small frown lines creasing his forehead.

“I think I would study historical events and laws first since music, art and movies comment and make references to important events…do you study on your own?”

“Mostly on my own…sometimes I talk to Bruce or Natasha about things but their usually busy with science or their past.”

“You know, Tony hardly sleeps. His bad habits before everything happened keep him up but Pepper wants him to stop working after being up after 35 hours. He usually stays awake though and even though he won’t admit it, he can probably teach you everything you have a question about even though he’ll mock you for payback since you’d technically be taking him away from work. What time period are you in for movies, books and all?”

“The sixties.” Steve said, glancing at the crowd around them.

“You know, Tony knows music and movies from every era. He taught me everything I know about society, and I can help out when the shop’s not that busy.”

Steve smiled at Harry as they crossed the street, “Thank you, too many people either tiptoe around the subject or just say how lucky I am like the newspapers did. It’s nice to actually have my opinions heard.”

“I understand,” and Harry did. What Steve said took him back to his second year at Hogwarts when everyone learned he was a parselmouth and his fourth year when everyone either envied or hated him for being in the tournament, then the rest of his years at Hogwarts until Voldemort’s defeat. No one save for a few people ever asked for Harry’s side of the story Assumptions were made, pinning Harry as the villain, which was laughable now but then it was quite serious. At least he always had Hermione, when Steve woke up he didn’t have anyone he knew.

They walked in comfortable silence the rest of the way, entering The Kestrel was owned by an older middle aged couple and run with the help of two nieces and a nephew. It was a small little hole in the wall with some of the best Turkish food available in New York. The food was delicious and the staff never bothered him, making it a perfect place for the captain to eat without interruptions…or as few as possible since everything with SHIELD had gone down and his information was accessible via the world-wide web. 

Steve and Harry were able to have a relatively quiet meal with the only real chaos being Samir yelling out to his mother about orders. They talked about different dreams they had when they were younger: how Harry had initially wanted to be an auror but was just too worn down after a lifetime of dodging death and Steve’s yearning for a degree in art and to become a recognized artist besides some doodles of his done back in the day that were auctioned to extreme Captain America fans…Coulson had most of them but it still wasn’t the kind of work Steve wanted to be known for.

They talked of the people they had lost in their own wars and swapped stories. It was always the best people who died, Harry pointed out it was because they were ready for death and the next grand adventure. Steve just thought it was because they were truly at peace with themselves.

They talked for well over an hour, hardly taking note of what they actually ate, too focused on the other person and not very willing to let the evening end. Eventually though, a mutual silence settled over them like a blanket and they simply enjoyed each other’s company until a bunch of giggling college looking girls came in and eyed them up and down, making them feel violated.

Steve quickly paid the bill and they left, leaning in close to each other now that the sun had officially set it was cooler and Harry had shivered slightly, making Steve settle himself closer to Harry’s person as they walked back and Harry unconsciously slide closer to him.

Since it was still relatively early, only 8:30, when they got back Harry invited Steve in to watch a movie and asked Steve if there was anything on his list he wanted to watch. “Well, there’s a lot I haven’t seen yet so you pick something?” 

Harry raised an eyebrow, “All the films I have are for children or current hits along with the occasional historic film” 

“Well how about a children’s film? Something lighthearted,” Steve suggested as they turned onto the street in front of Harry’s café.

Harry nodded thoughtfully, “Have you seen…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spottedleafpaw and I had a falling out and that's why she'd not listed as a co-creator/beta past last chapter... I originally thought it was because of me but a lot of people in the past two years told me I did the right thing and told me some stuff that happened that I didn't even know about so I don't even know anymore... It is what it is.


	10. The Date (Part 2)

Okay, so Steve had shed a tear or two…alright, fine. He bawled like a toddler who couldn’t understand why he couldn’t have the toy but the first 5 minutes were so emotional and Carl’s life of monotony after Ellie died was too much like when after he came up out of the ice and found out everyone he knew was either dead or in a nursing home and Peggy…his dear sweet strong Peggy who lost everything, including her mind. Russell and the trip Carl took was like Steve’s first time finally venturing out of his apartment and running though New York for the second time after he woke up. Doug reminded him a bit of Thor, very excitable. Russell was a strange combination of what he imagined how Clint and Tony would be like as children and Kevin was like…Steve didn’t even know. One of Tony’s bot’s perhaps? Steve didn’t feel too bad though, Harry had cried too, just not as much since he had already seen the film.

“Why would you make me watch that? It was good but…” Steve gestured to the piles of used tissues in the trash can on the coffee table next to the hot chocolate Harry had made them.

“Well, I figured no one would have shown it to you yet, plus it has such a good ending and amazing computer animation.” Harry said, “Plus it’s good to cry now and again.” He leaned up a bit from where he had been lounging against Steve’s side and chest and with a lazy flick of his wand everything was cleaned up from their cry-fest before settling back into Steve’s side, “Want to watch another movie?”

“Okay, but something less sad please.” Steve requested, sinking further into Harry’s couch. All of his furniture seemed older than even Steve was and was ridiculously plush but felt heavenly. 

Harry smiled at him and nodded before groaning and getting up to look at his DVD collection to search through it for a lighthearted piece and spotted The Sword in the Stone. He gleefully put it in, although it was a horridly inaccurate depiction of what type of eccentric Merlin was, they captured Arthur’s person quite well. He settled back down after putting the DVD in and sleepily watched the movie up until the fish scene before he fell into Morpheus’ arms.

Steve stayed awake throughout the movie, not noticing Harry falling asleep but did notice how Harry seemed to find movies that he could relate to without hesitation. True, his family had never treated him like Arthur was by his, but he did remember the hard work he had to do to make it by without feeling like he wasn’t earning anything. True with his asthma, heart condition and weak immune system he wasn’t able to do the same jobs Bucky and some of the boys did like moving furniture but he was a good delivery boy for the drug store and was able to do odd jobs around town. Arthur’s dreams to be a knight was very much like his wistful dream to be a soldier. Only difference for Arthur it was his birth right and Steve’s health that stood between them and their dreams until the moment of realization that they could be great.

It was a wonderful film but Steve was confused by Merlin at the very end and turned his head to ask Harry but realized Harry was asleep, snoring softly and every now and then his lips would close and a gentle puff would open them again as Harry breathed out.

Steve reluctantly moved to get out from under Harry when he was suddenly suspended upside down in the air with Harry’s wand pointed at him, his eyes still unfocused from just waking up until he shook himself fully awake and quickly lowered Steve to the ground in sheepishly.

“I’m sorry Steve, it’s something that stuck with me after the war.”

Steve nodded in understanding before offering Harry a small smile, “I need to get going; it’s pretty late. I’ll see you tomorrow?”   
Harry nodded and led Steve to the door in comfortable silence and before Steve knew it Harry had pressed his lips to Steve’s cheek and had pushed him out of the door with a little mischievous smile before saying “Good night Steve,” before closing the door, leaving Steve alone in the shadowed alley to walk back to the tower.

-

Steve entered the tower with a big dopey looking grin on his face and a spring in his step. Well, that was Tony’s description of him and Tony had looked at him suspiciously but was distracted by the fact Pepper had come up with a mound of paperwork and he hightailed it to the lab to avoid her ire towards the fact he had yet to sign them when he had promised to several hours earlier.

Steve went into the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk and was glad Tony hadn’t followed him, the grandpa jokes grew tenfold when Steve would do anything with a ‘homey’ feeling to it.

He tensed at a small clack and relaxed when Clint dropped out of the vent, barely missing the four light pendent hanging above the island and landed on top of a barstool with a cocky grin, “So, how was the date?”

Steve narrowed his eyes at him, “Good, why?”

Clint held up his phone that had several images of him and Harry taken through one of the windows with a high resolution camera, obviously Natasha’s work, given the quality and the occasional shots of their hands.

Steve looked up at Clint with a raised eyebrow asking ‘really?’ as Natasha swayed into the room and looked at Steve and asked “How was the date?” with a false sense of an inquisitive nature.

He just looked at them both and gave them a big old smile, “It was perfect, now if you excuse me I have to drink my milk before it cools.”


	11. The Tabloid

Everyone knew it would happen, knew that the media would catch wiff of Steve and Harry’s relationship someday. They had been on multiple dates since the first from going hiking, walking around shopping to seeing movies and they hadn’t been caught onto once, mostly thanks to Tony’s hacking, deleting pictures on people’s phones but then their first date out with Teddy came along and what better thing to do than go to Coney Island?

They had gone in one of Tony’s many cars, one of the few without the STARK license plate with Teddy babbling excitedly in the back seat, Harry warned that Teddy had never had sweets like cotton candy before and it would make for an interesting day and he was right, the lil guy was wired up by the sheer amount of sweets Steve kept buying. The kid’s puppy eyes were killer and he bet were learned from Tony. 

They had just gotten off of the Wild River, the last ride of the day soaked and smiling when a flash went off in their face and a triumphant smile of a sleazy reporter who had made it his personal mission to scoop any information on the Avengers private lives to show how horrible they really were. Steve was tempted to chase after the creep but at Harry’s small shake of head he simply wrapped an arm around Harry as a crowd passed between them and the reporter before hightailing it out of the park.

That evening news that Captain America was seen with another man and headlines of “Captain America Supposed Tried and True…Gay?” and “Captain America Dating Mystery Man?” and Tony’s personal favorite, “Captain America Ashamed to be Gay?” with a photo under of one of the times Steve had pulled his cap down to cover his and Harry’s face as they shared a short kiss because it made Steve mad enough to call a press conference about slanderous accusations.

“What accusations are slanderous? Are you pissed that they’re calling you gay?” Tony challenged, anger in his eyes and protective stance in front of his friend showing how much he cared for Harry yet again.

“No, they’re slanderous because they think I would be ashamed.” Steve retorted hotly as he wrote down his plan to address the press the next day, bullet pointing main issues he had with the ‘news’ articles so as he would keep on track and not be diverted by some asshole at the last press conference he spoke at, making it to where Tony had to pay off a ton of people to put in what Steve actually meant and was referring to with his word choice rather than picking and choosing the phrases that made it seem as though the Avengers were dangerous to the community.

Harry smiled at Steve as he laid a hand on Tony’s arm, gesturing him to move over a bit so Harry could get closer to Steve.

“Steve, I really appreciate what you’re doing but you don’t need to go through this trouble. The press will always drag whoever they can to make a quick buck, there are very few reporters now who actually care about the truth behind the picture more so than the dollar signs attached to something that can be strewn to create more drama than it actually is.

“I don’t exactly have the best history with newspapers and such, but in order to get what you want published you have to find people that will be excited to find out the truth about the picture. Create a story that will sale more than their drama but it still the true story.” Harry said meaningfully before giving Steve a kiss on top of his head, an action he still had to stand on his toes for even with Steve sitting at the dining table in the common area. “Now you figure everything out while I make us something to snack on.”

Steve stared after Harry as he walked through the kitchen and disappeared into the giant pantry that held just enough food to keep the Avengers fed for a week when Thor was present, without Thor it lasted about a week and a half before restocking.

Tony just stared at Steve’s face before sighing at the bemused expression and pulling out his phone to start frantically typing on it, “Harry is saying invite someone who is a part of the LGBT+ community. God you are so lucky you’re a pretty boy and that I have connections.”


	12. The Interview (Part 1)

The hall in the bottom floor of Avenger’s Tower meant for press conferences was filled with reporters from all over the world. Tony had made sure every major news station for countries Steve could barely imagine before his time in the ice was there. Hell, people from countries he didn’t even know how to pronounce without causing offense were present.

He was nervous, pacing and trying not to grimace at the site of Harry’s pale face. Harry, who already had been thrust into the public’s eye and praised as a hero one day and criminal the next was not looking forward to the press conference. No matter how many times he gave an interview after the war, the memories of that vile Rita Skeeter’s ways of twisting the truth into absolute rubbish that even Mrs. Weasley believed gave Harry doubts no one could fault him for.

Steve swallowed and rubbed the back of Harry’s hand he held with his thumb. He knew Harry would be excellent at answering questions but Steve had always been more blunt and honest in Avengers Press Conferences before that would land him in hot water, or was misconstrued by the press due to his old fashioned pattern of speech.

Pepper and Tony approached them with a blonde woman with a short hair cut, blue eyes, wide smile filled with pearls and nicer but more casual suit than Steve’s. “Steve, this is Ellen; Ellen, Steve” Pepper introduced as she furiously typed away on her pad, frowning as a ding sounded from it, obviously not pleased with the response. 

“Ellen is one of the most influential people in the LGBT+ community,” Tony said with glee as he rubbed his hands together, “and is able to save any snafu you might make when spewing the inevitable verbiage that will be in your answers. God knows she’s saved me enough times.”

Ellen laughed, “I will do my best to save the two of you. Now, did Tony give you the list of questions we could go over today? Remember, we probably won’t touch most of them but will more likely try to focus in on various stories you tell me. We only have an hour but let’s tug on as many heart strings as possible, alright?”

Steve nodded, smile on his face as his insides heaved, this wasn’t informing the public about a battle that had already happened, this was him telling the entire world what he was… a queer. The fact he would be able to say so openly without authorities coming to arrest him, lynch him, or, in some stories he heard whispered; beaten, castrated, and left to bleed out in the middle of no-where. 

Tony was putting the mics on everyone, apparently some new one he made for some reason Steve was sure was due to Fury mostly but couldn’t focus on anything besides his own clammy hand dragging Harry down a road that could end in disgust, isolation, and death. 

Steve heard ringing in his ears and couldn’t focus his vision on anything until he felt something warm and wet press against his jaw, bringing him crashing back to the present. 

He jerked back, blinked, and looked down to the side where Harry was looking at him with worried eyes and a hesitant smile.

Steve felt his worries rush away as he realized it was only making Harry suffer and smiled back at him, clenching his hand tighter than before for a moment before letting go and ruffling Harry’s hair into it’s normally insane state rather than the gelled and flat thing they had tried to make it “behave.”

“Are you ready?” Harry asked, nodding to the stage where Ellen already sat and was making their introductions.”

Steve’s eyes softened as he looked at Harry, “I used to think I never would be…but I am with you.”

Harry’s eyes widened before he smiled and stole a kiss before they turned and walked onto the stage, their backs straight, hand in hand while lights blinded them. Before those lights were foreboding to Steve… but now was a promise of a brighter future without hiding.


	13. The Interview (Part 2)

There were no cheers when Steve and Harry stepped out on stage but questions erupted from the eager mouths of reporters like water from a geyser. Ellen looked out to them and lifted an eyebrow before speaking, “Guys, we are to hear what they have to say, not what we have to. So sit down and listen until it’s actually question time. Remember, this isn’t a press conference in the traditional sense.”

Steve was immensely pleased that Ellen had such presence, although she sat in a relaxed position. She didn’t even sit up when addressing the hoards of reporters, but they all, in a wave, sat. There were obvious grumblings but the fact she was able to command their respect.

Harry and Steve sat on the chairs across from Ellen, hands still entwined. Ellen smiled before looking out into the mass of reporters and cameras, “Now for those of you who do not know, a picture went viral this past week, in this picture was Captain America and Lord Potter, who is also knighted, embracing each other along with some rather unflattering headlines. Now before we address those headlines I think we all want to hear the story of how Steve and Harry met, right? It’s best to go in order after all.”

Steve nodded, his smile was shy as Harry glanced at him, “Should I go or you?”

“You.” Steve wasn’t avoiding responsibilities, he really wasn’t. He wanted to hear Harry’s observations of their meetings because he hadn’t heard them yet.

“Well,” Harry scratched the back of his head, “I own a café here in New York and Tony was actually the first who stumbled in on it looking for a Valentines place for him and Pepper. They got hooked on my pastries and coffee selection and have been coming back ever since. Then one day apparently Steve made Tony spill his coffee so Tony dragged him in, the poor guy. Apparently he grew fond of the way we Brits brew our tea during the war and needed a pick me up as well. He looked absolutely miserable when I first met him.”

Ellen, who wasn’t doing a great job suppressing her laughter at Steve’s expense, asked “So was it Harry’s tea that made you fall in love?”

“Well that was just the cherry on top.” Steve grinned, “For one he’s just a good person. You can tell he has a lot of compassion for everyone around him. He takes any food he has a few days before it expires and opens his café after hours on the first and third Sundays of the month and cooks for the homeless. I didn’t even know that until I was asking Pepper what Harry does with his free time when he’s not feeding us or spoiling his Godson.”

“Godson?” Ellen asked, “Harry, where is the little one?”

Harry shifted a bit, “I want to keep Teddy out of the spotlight and let him enjoy his childhood. He’s not just my godson but my son as well. I recently had the adoption papers finalized for him after his maternal grandmother passed.”

“Well congratulations on becoming a father.” Ellen smiled, “Now, onto the photo, obviously that was taken during a date you two had. What did you think of the headlines?”

Steve straightened his back even further and his eyes narrowed a bit, “Actually, those headlines were the reason I called this.” Harry smiled at Steve, encouraging his words, “When I grew up, being a homosexual was one of the most serious crimes that could be committed. It still wows me that a couple of the same sex could walk down the street holding hands in broad day light, much less share a kiss without being shot or have the ability to get married.”

Steve looked out into the crowd, “A man I grew up down the street from was found beaten to death. His name was Mr Marcus Chambers and he was a good man. He had a wood carving shop, always went to church every Sunday and donated to the orphanage he grew up in. He would cover rent for Old Mrs Keith when she was short and shared his wealth with as many as he could during the depression. He was truly a good man. But when he was discovered to be gay, he was killed in one of the most inhuman ways imaginable.”

Ellen grimaced, “The past was not kind to us by any means.”

Steve nodded, “And that past was over a half a century ago to you. For me it was less than four years ago. Those headlines said I was ashamed but though I was raised to be ashamed I lived more in fear than shame. Fear of causing harm to those I loved. Some days when I wake up I’m still in the past, now these flashbacks aren’t of the war and not due to PTSD from it, but because sometimes I still forget that I’m even in the future…or present now.”

Ellen looked close to tears but held them back as she turned to the audience, “Now, I think it’s best to remind everyone our good friend Tony provided the microphones for today. Now, he came up with this genius little remote that lets one of his assistants put you on mute if the question has been answered or is irrelevant. Please don’t make him use this, it’s not to silence you but to make sure we cover as much information as we can in the next,” she checked her watch, “fifteen minutes, give or take. This’ll be nice, for once I don’t have to run around with my microphone.” She joked, before relaxing back.

Instantly hands armed with pens and recorders, shot in the air. 

Ellen called out to a middle aged man with glasses, “Miller Sands, BDTV. What were you knighted for Lord Potter?”

Harry shifted, “When the terrorist attacks were going on in Europe, I was targeted due to being the son of a Lord who had opposed the leader of the group. Unfortunately it was while I was a teenager and most of what happened is classified but in the end I had to kill a man who threatened the safety of the country by organizing the attacks. The Queen and the world was horrified it occurred. That’s why there was such a drastic change in the leaders and managing of multiple organizations seven years ago.”

There were gasps of revolt and shock at the revelation that a child had gone through that. Harry was amused in a rather dark way at how quickly these people forgot it happened. After all, the reports of it had spread like wildfire through the paper all those years ago. Harry wasn’t surprised they hadn’t connected him to the articles though, given how scrawny and haunted he looked in the pictures then.

“Captain Rogers, Emile Delacour from the Quibbler News Site. You have said in previous interviews that you grew up Catholic and there are quite a few people who struggle with their faith and sexuality. How did your faith impact your thoughts about your sexuality?”  
“It was a struggle, that’s for sure, but it also gave me the strength to be myself. I think my ma knew before I even had a thought about it. She’d tell me whoever I ended up liking would be a special person and that as long as we loved each other everything would be okay. She never used the words ‘gal’ or ‘dame’ to describe who I’d be with like Bucks mom did with him. Heck, Mrs. Barnes didn’t even use those words for me but when I was a 90 lbs asthmatic I guess I always assumed they didn’t think I’d get married… not that they knew.” Steve took a sip of water and cleared his throat, “I prayed a lot about it, trying to figure out why God cursed me with this affliction. It wasn’t till I was going down in the plane I realized I hadn’t lived the life I wanted or even the life I thought I would settle for. Would God have wanted me miserable in my personal life? I don’t believe so. It’s better to ask for forgiveness than to live in fear.”

“Absolutely stunning words from a stunning man,” Ellen said with a smile, “Sadly we don’t have more time to have more questions answered but really this was for them and not for us. It’s wonderful what we’ve heard and learned from you two today and I hope that the two of you have a good life together, and thank you for sharing your stories. In the future please come onto my actual show and update the world on how you are, you two are welcome any time.”

There was an uproar of questions as Harry and Steve shook Ellen’s hand and left the stage. Happy ushered them upstage as Pepper passed them going on stage to finish the conference for them and, quite bluntly, kick the reporters out of the tower.

Harry leaned heavily into Steve’s side with his arm protectively wrapped around him. He had forgotten how draining it was to be in the spotlight, even for an hour. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, feeling emotionally drained. 

“Mhmhmm, all I want right now is a nap.” Harry murmured, eyes sliding close as they entered the elevator, Happy staying behind to aid Pepper.

Steve smiled down at him as he punched the button to his floor, “A nap sounds pretty good right now.”


	14. The SIX

After a good long nap and a rude awakening from Tony the two went upstairs to Tony’s floor and the common area. The rest of the Avengers and Pepper were crowded around the TV, giggling or yelling at it while Pepper was typing furiously away at her tablet.

“What the bloody hell is going on?” Harry grumbled, rubbing his eyes before a tiny jet of blue known as Teddy slammed into him, “You’ve been on the telly all day!” Teddy yelled as Harry scooped him up into his arms, “Everyone is getting real excited for the next” Teddy furrowed his brows, thinking, “….confidence?”

“Conference Teddy, and I bet,” Steve stretched, “Wish they’d be content though instead of flocking to ask more questions.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “Obviously you’ve never had some harpy ask you about your…” He glanced down at Teddy, “relations before. Once that subject comes up it’ll be years before they remotely leave you alone about it. Especially now that you have confirmed that your gay because it’s still viewed as a novelty idea by many and wrong choice by so many others. You could be together with someone for seven or eight years and they’d still question you about every aspect of life.” Harry groaned, no doubt thinking about all the times he was still asked by the passing witch or wizard why he wasn’t dating Ginny anymore and why they split up.

Steve grimaced and had Tony turn off the TV once he saw the headline below a Fox news anchor reading ‘America’s very own RED WHITE and BLUE NOT SO TRUE?’

Tony sauntered over to them and leaned in, faux whispering to Teddy, “Well now that the old man is mad what should we do instead of watch TV Teddy? I finished all the junk I had to do for Fury and Jarvis is currently painting the three suits I built last night so I am boooooored”

Harry rolled his eyes along with Steve, “I swear Tony is the six year old here.”

Teddy leaned back and frowned at Harry, “Don’t you mean sex Uncle Harry?”

The entire tower went silent, even the music Jarvis had been playing faintly in the background was instantly shut off by the six-year old’s question.

“Teddy,” Harry asked very calmly although he was already sweating profusely in the span of the few seconds of silence, “Why do you say that?”

“Well that’s what Clint said. It’s sex, seven, eight.”

Harry smiled, all teeth, vaguely resembling a shark and making everyone feel bad for Clint, “Sweetie, Clint’s not good at math. He failed all his classes actually. It is pronounced six, he just wants to prank you.” Harry smiled an actual smiled as Teddy nodded in understanding, a devious smile appearing on his tiny, once angelic, face.

“Now what do you want to do squirt?” Steve asked, ruffling Teddy’s hair.

Teddy stretched up to Steve and pouted when he couldn’t get close enough, urgently gesturing for Steve to stoop down to his level before whispering something in his ear, making Steve grin before backing up and taking a deep breath. 

“Time for hide and seek!” Steve bellowed, “We need to draw straws to see who’s ‘it’!”  
Pepper shook her head smiling, “I would join you all but there’s still a lot of SI work that need to be done. Good luck though and don’t break anything” She narrowed her gaze at Tony and Clint for that last part. Without Thor they were the two who caused the most damage… Though even with Thor in town Tony usually was in the lead for most items broken, Thor’s were usually just larger items.

Bruce cleaned his glasses nervously, “It’s best if I’m not startled so I’ll be working in the lab tonight.”

Harry nodded, “You will be at dinner when I call it though mister, otherwise I’ll spell every lab and gadget in the tower to shut down as soon as you touch it,” he threatened, used to Bruce trying to skip the “family meals” for fear of being startled or just being so focused in on his work he forgot food was a requirement to stay alive and functioning.

Harry smiled at his boys as he set Teddy down and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek, “You all do that, meanwhile Clint,” Clint’s eyes shot up to meet Harry’s, flinching at the veiled threatening tone in his voice, “Can you help me get some things for dinner? Then you can play with the others.”

“Of course,” Clint smiled before drawing his straw, long, so he would get to hide. 

He followed Harry to the pantry as a shout declared Teddy as the seeker. Once they were in the pantry, blocked off from everyone’s field of vision, Harry placed a Muffilatio before turning around, turning his wand onto Clint snarling, “Just what the ever-bloody hell have you been teaching my godson?”

Clint held his hands up in defense as he tried to ward off Harry’s anger, “I’m sorry! Teddy and I were watching TV while you two napped because I wanted to see what type of backlash and support you two would get when the commercials came on at one point and Jane the Virgin or whatever had an add playing and at one point she repeated ‘sex, sex, sex’ and everything so Teddy asked me what that meant and I told him it was how six is pronounced in some areas then he just sat there quiet and I thought it was over or he’d forget about it and I am so sorry I didn’t let you know but I thought I had it covered and that he forgot about it by the time everyone else came into the room after Pepper and Natasha handled crowd of angry reporters control and Tony finished whatever he had snuck to his workshop for but then Teddy said that and I knew you would kill me, please don’t kill me.” Clint sucked in a deep breath after his ramble and his face almost went back to the normal tanned tone, with a hint of paleness still from what Harry could do.

Harry stared at him a moment before bursting into laughter, “And now you know why I strictly monitor Teddy’s TV to mostly movies that are on DVD.”

Clint breathed a final relaxing breath after that comment, “I still can’t believe Tony hasn’t gotten you onto Blu Ray or StarkStream.”

Harry shrugged, “It’s hard enough to have appliances not explode on a regular basis around me. Now go tell Teddy your joining the game after it’s the next person’s turn.”

~~~~

Several hours later and after one particularly fun round of hide and seek that had Natasha found in a hollowed out chair in the living room, which no one knew when she even had the time to hallow it out, and Clint showing off his skill of contortion he had learned in the circus by hiding in a box on top of the linen ‘closet,’ which could fit most living rooms, that Steve had nearly passed by had it not been for his smelling Clint’s deodorant, dinner was called.

Harry had grilled several steaks with sides of mashed potatoes, asparagus with a large salad and fresh baked rolls. He had also made macaroni and cheese after he found out it was one of Bruce’s comfort foods after Jarvis notified him that it was Bruce’s 138th day in the lab with hardly being closer to understanding the Hulk. It was so rich and savory that would make angels weep at the flavor, Tony joked about the six different cheeses he used along with a several spices were a sure way to make anyone confess anything. Natasha raised a brow at that until she bit into it and moaned in delight and content before snatching the remaining third for herself, making Tony smirk and the rest of the table protest until Natasha produced a hatpin of all things from somewhere on her person and threatened everyone but Bruce and Teddy for the remainder.

After getting Natasha and Clint to do clean up, Natasha due to being a macaroni thief and Clint for not monitoring Teddy’s TV time closer the members of the tower, Pepper finally included after her work was done and eating the plate Harry had hid for her, hunkered down in the living space and were scrolling though Tony’s enormous movie collection trying to figure out something they would all like and that was age appropriate for Teddy since he got to stay up until 9:30 that night since it was a Friday.

They finally decided on Disney’s Atlantis once Tony discovered it was one of the movies both Harry and Cap hadn’t been able to catch up on yet.

The differences in technology, the thought of isolation, and the awkwardness of Milo won Steve over in a heartbeat. At the moment Kida gave herself up to protect her people Steve felt the same sort of helplessness and determination he did when he crashed into the ice. 

Harry had definitely noticed and gripped his hand, giving it a squeeze whenever Steve’s eyes drifted into space for too long. 

After the movie everyone snatched a few of the chocolate chip cinnamon oatmeal cookies Harry had baked for desert before going their separate ways, minus Pepper and Steve who sat together, going over everything Steve would need to know for the next day.

After Harry had helped Teddy with both bath and bed time he walked into the living room, finding Steve alone with three crushed tablets next to him and a fistful of papers in the other, which Harry assumed was the list of preapproved questions for tomorrow’s conference that Harry was only able to make since he called in a favor with George to look after the café for the day.

Harry sat down next to him slowly before putting a hand on Steve’s back, “Are you going to be okay? You don’t have to do this Steve, there’s no reason why you should answer even more after today. You officially came out and talked about what was most important to you already. Most everything else will be nonsensical questions people will ask for filler and closer details that you could address in passing at other interviews or on your own time in a different way.”

Steve shook his head as he stared numbly at the papers before him, “They’ll call me a coward if I do that. It needs to be taken care of so I can be finished with it.”

Harry smiled sadly and gently took the papers out of his hands before holding Steve’s hands in his own, “Steve, it will never be finished. It’s a battle that will forever be on your shoulders only this time it’s no longer with yourself, rather it’s with the world around you.”

Steve looked up at Harry, blue eyes misty, “Why is the world so full of hate? It’s always been always been and always will be but why do people have to have those ugly un-holy feelings inside of them?”

Harry tilted his head back and turned his eyes to study the ceiling, which was too flat and perfect like everything else in the tower, as he formulated his thoughts and words before he gave up looking for eloquent explanations and dramatizations, “Because the battle is what makes us human.”

A/N: Thank you for all of the kudos and reviews ^.^


	15. The Attack

Steve's hands fumbled as he attempted to untie his tie. It was like he was mentally back in his tiny body when he was newly serum enhanced Steve. His hands were just too darned big and clumsy to make heads or tails of the tie. It was ridiculous; he had done it many times before, so why the heck couldn't he tie it now?

"Steve, calm down," Harry took over, pushing Steve's hands gently down to his side before finishing up with the tie in record time, "If you keep shaking the jackals will smell the fear."

"How could you do it Harry?" Steve asked morosely, "How could you put up with their stares and questions so repetitive yet so slightly different your head spins trying to formulate answers."

Harry smiled and joked, "At least you're not going to be live and will be able to have thinking time" before losing his smile, "I couldn't, that's why I left."

Steve breathed in. Harry had been harassed since he was 11, and it turned drastically worse at 14. He was a child when it all happened, Steve was a grown man. He breathed out; he could do this.

Walking onto the stage with Harry was surreal, like his days on the stage. He could hear the hum of the audience of reporters but it was muffled by the ringing in his ears. The sweat of his palms felt so abundant he would not be surprised if it looked like he held water in his hands and was spilling onto the stage.

The interview passed by in a blur, he was asked questions that had already been answered in the interview, asked about the black lives matter movement and his opinion. His answering question of, "Well, don't they?" seemed to piss off some reporters and thrill others. He was asked about the LGBT+ community in the media and people seemed enraged when he said he was making his way through movies currently and his "No, I haven't seen Carol or A Single Man yet, I'll add them to my list" seemed to have the same effect to the same reporters who reacted to his black lives matter response. He was asked of his thought on trans people and his response of "Their body is theirs, isn't it? As long as they're happy and healthy what does it matter?" led to grumbles and pressing for better answer from both sides.

Eventually the trail of questioning led to abortion, which made Steve falter a bit. That subject was not one that was told to him before the conference. Tony had pulled out his phone and frantically started texting "I can't exactly answer that, now can I? I've never been a parent or expected to be one. I don't understand the struggle behind it and although I don't want any babies killed I don't know what the parent's are going through but I guess I'd leave it up to the parents and their doctors to talk it out." That response then caused a ripple effect. Many of those present weren't pleased with the response, some shouting he was dodging the question. That lead to more people asking how he could call a sack of cells a baby. Someone yelled out he was a misogynist product of his time. The yelling got louder over his answers and eventually someone even yelled out asking how he could give rapists rights to decision making which made Steve physically recoil in horror at how quickly his words were being twisted and misconstrued.

Harry pulled Steve off the stage and away from the shouting as Pepper rushed past them to assit Tony ripping into the reporters from Fox, ABC, NBC, CNN and so many others that Steve lost track. His blood was rushing and he could hear his own heart beat.

He didn't understand it… He couldn't understand it. How could he understand it? He had been awake less than two years and a good third of that time was spent on missions and work. How was he supposed to be able to catch up on human rights in that short a time while having a life? He was missing so many years, so many changes, so many things it was mindboggling that people wanted his opinion about. Why did his opinion matter? Why? Wouldn't someone who actually grew up hearing the debates answer the questions better?

Steve knew with certainty if he had been in his old body he would have passed out by now with how harsh his breathing was, and it wasn't hash from that run.

Harry led him to his bedroom and slowly soothed him. He reminded him that the reporters had been asking questions that were not on Pepper's approved list and had thusly voided their contract Pepper had them sign before entering. After Jarvis pointed out which reporters violated their agreement their equipment would be confiscated and wiped. Those who had not violated the agreement would be able to keep the full footage they had and have the power to show it.

That made Steve feel a bit more relaxed in his skin, he'd be able to talk about what he knew at tomorrow's press conference before he froze. That's why the contract existed in the first place: he was ignorant. He couldn't be like Tony and have live interviews and press conferences. He couldn't talk about anything but their battles because that was all that Steve knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Damn this chapter was a hell of a lot darker than I expected it to be. I had a whole list of specifics I was going to go through but 30 minutes after sitting down to write I had this instead. Maybe since it's the first anniversary of my grandfather's death that I can't visit the old house he used to live in and not being able to be there for my dad? I don't know. I'm really sorry guys, this went darker than expected. I was just going to make it a little dark with lots of fluff and love but that definitely didn't happen and now I don't want to rewrite this since Steve seems so raw emotionally here I feel like I should leave it in.


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